Coachella Valley Weekly - November 27 to December 3, 2014 Vol. 3 No. 36

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

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com • November 27 to December 3, 2014 Vol. 3 No. 36

P. S. Art Museum

pg 4

Mikey Doling

pg 10

J Patron

pg 12

Thr3 Strykes

pg 13

PS Underground

pg 20

November 27 to December 3, 2014

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

28TH ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ATHENA AWARDS FOUR REMARKABLE WOMEN COMMUNITY LEADERS TO BE HONORED DECEMBER 4

BY AMY BLAISDELL

Coachella Valley Weekly

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

760.501.6228

Publisher & Editor Tracy Dietlin Art Director Robert Chance Sales Team Raymond Bill, Lisa Morgan, Alaina Majiros Classified Manager & Nightlife Editor Phil Lacombe Features Writer Lisa Morgan, Judith Sulkin, Denise Ortuno Neil, Heidi Simmons Writers/Contributors: Lisa Morgan , Robin Simmons, Rick Riozza, Craig Michaels, Bronwyn Ison, Haddon Libby, Rachel Montoya, Angela Janus, Janet McAfee, Heidi Simmons, Dale Gribow, Raymond Bill, Jack St. Clair, Rob Brezny, Amanda Dorta, Eleni P. Austin, Curtis Hendricks, Noe Gutierrez, Sunny Simon, Richard Weiss, Dr. Peter Kadile, Dr. Maria Lombardo, Bruce Cathcart, Patte Purcell, Julie Buehler, Flint Wheeler, Laura Hunt Little, Rebecca Pikus, Scott Pam, Richard Noble, Karen Creasy, Monica Morones, Shawn Mafia, Phillip Carrillo, Rich Henrich, Kira Golden Photographers Laura Hunt Little, Scott Pam, Lani Garfield, Chris Miller/ Imagine Imagery, La Maniaca Distribution Phil Lacombe, William Westley

CONTENTS

2014/15 Desert Season

Saturday November 29 10 am - 4 pm Over 80 Artists • Free Admission Live Entertainment • Free Parking

Information & Future Dates: 760.564.1244 • LQAF.com

78010 Main Street, La Quinta 92253

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Athena Awards.......................................3 The Galen................................................4 Art Under The Umbrellas.......................4 Art - Marnie L. Navarro..........................5 Don’t Be Clueless in the CV...................6 Theatre - Marilyn, Madness & Me.........7 Theatre - Desert Rose Playhouse..........7 Palm Springs International Film Fest...8 LMS - Mikey Doling............................. 10 Desert DJs - DJ Paul Z.......................... 11 Tilted Kilt Open Mic Week 8............... 11 LMS - J Patron...................................... 12 LMS - Thr3 Strykes...............................13 Consider This - Gary Calamar............. 14 Tat Talk - Adam Normand................... 15 Pet Place............................................... 16 The Vino Voice..................................... 17 Club Crawler Nightlife........................ 18 Pamp. Palate- PS Underground......... 20 Screeners............................................. 22 Book Review........................................ 23 The PS Local - Desert Airpark............. 26 Haddon Libby: It’s All Local................ 27 Dale Gribow......................................... 27 Safety Tips............................................ 28 ShareKitchen....................................... 28 Sports Scene........................................ 29 Sports................................................... 29 Health & Fitness - Color Vibe 5K........ 30 Free Will Astrology.............................. 31 Mind, Body & Spirit............................. 31 Life & Career Coach............................. 32 Beauty.................................................. 32

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he Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce and the City of Palm Springs are proud to announce four outstanding women leaders in our community will be honored for their extraordinary community service at the 28th annual Athena Awards luncheon, slated for Thursday, Dec. 4.

The 11:30 a.m. luncheon, hosted by Mayor Steve Pougnet, is one of the most prestigious events of the Coachella Valley season and will be held at the Renaissance Palm Springs, 888 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way. This year’s Athena honorees include: Jackie Autry, Community Icon Award.

Philanthropist and community leader Jackie Autry, the widow of the legendary Gene Autry, is much loved in the Coachella Valley for her commitment to the community. For years, Autry has called the City of Palm Springs her home and has been a tremendous supporter of the Palm Springs Veterans Day Parade, the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade, the City’s All American Fourth of July Spectacular, the City’s 75th anniversary celebration, Palm Springs POWER baseball and Palm Springs Stadium in Sunrise Park. In addition, she donated the stunning sculpture of Gene Autry which stands at the gateway to Gene Autry Plaza Shopping Center on Ramon Road and Gene Autry Trail. Autry also served as President of the American Red Cross and was responsible for raising funds to build an independent community blood bank at Eisenhower Medical Center, serving as its president for many years. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Eisenhower Medical Center and is a member of the Board of the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center at Eisenhower Medical Center. Autry also serves as the founding chair and life trustee of the Autry National Center Museum of the American West.

Betty Francis, Jackie Lee Houston Angel Award. A close friend of the late philanthropist Jackie Lee Houston, Francis has been a part of the Palm Springs community since 1977 and has been

covering society events for The Desert Sun since 1996. A true community “angel,” Betty has a passion for shining the light on local charities and nonprofits in need through her powerful pen and journalism skills.

Over the years she has supported some 800 charities in the pages of The Desert Sun and is revered in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley for her big heart.

Kathy Greco, Athena Business Award.

Greco serves as CEO of Desert Healthcare District and led the charge to provide $5 million in funding for the new UCR Medical Center Residency Program at Desert Regional Medical Center. She also worked to fund over $900,000 to place the Alliance for a Healthier Generation Program, in partnership with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, in every school in the Coachella Valley. In addition, Greco and Desert Healthcare District partnered with Mayor Steve Pougnet to raise over $1 million for health and wellness programs in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley through the hugely successful Mayor’s Race and Wellness Festival, in partnership with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative.

Terri Ketover, Athena Leadership Award. Ketover is Chair of the 100 Women, the Desert AIDS Project’s annual giving program that ensures greater access to affordable healthcare for women living with HIV in our community. In addition to being a DAP Board member, Ketover serves on the Palm Springs Art Museum Annenberg Theater Council, the Palm

Springs Art Museum Associates Council and is the Co-Chair of Michael Childers’s annual “One Night Only” event to support Jewish Family Services of the Desert.

Presented annually by chamber of commerce’s around the nation, the Athena Award is a distinguished honor which pays tribute to women who demonstrate excellence and creativity in their business or in the community at large. In addition, the actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential, according to Palm Springs Chamber CEO Nona Watson, who notes this year’s group of honorees are “truly spectacular women leaders making a difference in Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley.”

“Jackie Autry, Betty Francis, Kathy Greco and Terri Ketover truly exemplify the highest level of achievement when it comes to excellence in community leadership and all four of these amazing ladies serve as tremendous role models for future generations of women leaders,” said Mayor Steve Pougnet. “On behalf of the citizens of Palm Springs, we thank them for their extraordinary contributions and I encourage everyone in the Coachella Valley to join us on Dec. 4 as we celebrate these four fabulous women.”

For the 28th year in a row, this year’s presenting sponsor is Jessup Auto Plaza.

Tickets are $60 per person or $600 for a table of 10. For more information, visit www.pschamber.org or call (760)325-1577.

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

EVENTS

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BY TRACY DIETLIN PHOTOS BY LANI GARFIELD

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS THE GALEN THROWS DOWN AT ANNUAL PARTY

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f the first image that pops to mind when you think “membership party at the art museum” is one of suited and bedazzled guests walking pristine galleries with their pinkies (and noses) up, then you pictured the furthest thing from what happened at Meet The Galen last Friday night. Expectations of a stuffy art reception were blown away immediately at The Galen on Friday night when guests were greeted on the red carpet by statuesque pink-haired models wearing Grayse fashions.

The welcoming, friendly atmosphere was sealed when event chairs Jamie Kabler and Susan Stein personally greeted each attendee at the door as if they were guests in their own home, inviting everyone to enjoy the galleries and to grab a bite and a drink (all complimentary) on the patio.

Guests spanned all ages and demographics from Baby Boomers to Millenials...all with a common interest: appreciation for art and our community art museum.

As diverse as the party-goers, fashions worn by the guests embraced the Hollywood-glamour theme with as many interpretations as there were wearers.

Flappers mingled with bold-pants-pattern wearing fashion aficionados; top hats were tipped; gowns and party dresses echoed at least six different decades and men sported cashmere scarves. Guests mingling on the patio and in the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden included everyone from top museum donors Helene Galen, Donna MacMillan, Faye Sarkowsky and Harold

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ART

ART UNDER THE UMBRELLAS: THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

BY KATHLEEN HUGHES

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Matzner (among others) to local artists to celebrities Suzanne Summers, Lucie Arnaz and Larry Luckinbill - all museum members.

DJ Alf Alpha tied the glamour of all the eras together by spinning tunes and showing film footage from the classic Hollywood glamour era that featured Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, then progressed to current hits by such artists as Robin Thicke and Meghan Trainor remixed in bigband style. Guests also enjoyed a lip and lash bar, the perennial-favorite photo booth and complimentary valet parking.

Proceeds from the Meet the Galen event benefit museum operations, exhibitions and education programs. Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, also known as “The Galen” is located in Entrada del Paseo at 72-567 Highway 111 at El Paseo in Palm Desert. For membership info, go to www.psmuseum.org/membership.

tart a new holiday shopping tradition at Art Under the Umbrellas at Old Town La Quinta, held annually on Thanksgiving Weekend. This year that date falls on Saturday, November 29th, which intentionally coincides with Small Business Saturday 2014. Now in its fifth year, this single day has grown into a national movement encouraging people across the country to support their small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Art Under the Umbrellas provides the ideal platform for patrons to rally behind their local small businesses on two levels. In addition to Old Town La Quinta’s collection of trendy boutique merchants and restaurants, over 80 of Southern California’s most gifted artisans — each a small business in its own right — will converge to exhibit and sell their original artworks in a broad array of media and price points.

Among the exhibitors at the après Thanksgiving show are ten newcomers to La Quinta Arts Foundation’s wildly popular series of Art Under the Umbrellas events this season — two of which stand out as particularly impressive and are “must see artists”: Gustavo Santana – Glass, Los Angeles, CA. In 2008, former President Bill Clinton was added to Gustavo Santana’s prestigious list of collectors when the president purchased an original hand blown and etched Santana Art Glass vase in Beverly Hills. Santana is well-recognized for designs he created exclusively for Correia Art Glass of Santa Monica. He is the creator of a unique technique called “Sea Treasures,” glass sculptures that give the impression they were washed-up on the shore after years being battered by the sea and sand.

Santano’s incredible wild animal themed collection that includes mere cats, zebras, giraffes and more, is worthy of a private exhibition at The Living Desert!

Joe Woodford – Ceramics, Chandler, AZ. Joe works primarily in Raku, a 16th century Japanese firing technique. Joseph’s

palate of glazes includes vibrant copper and gold colors along with crackle glazes that produce an intriguing display of random vein patterns. Another distinguishing characteristic of his large vase forms are the abstract sculptural tops which he believes add personality and an individual character to each of his pieces. Woodford’s amazing work has earned him an invitation to be a first-time exhibitor at La Quinta Arts Festival 2015.

This is the perfect event to get your Thanksgiving guests out of the house, while putting a major dent in those holiday shopping lists, discovering one-of-a-kind treasures that are as unique as those on your list. Lively entertainment by the engaging Steve Madaio Band will fill the sun lit streets and a leisurely turkey optional lunch or Happy Hour libation at one of the Old Town restaurants will round out the day.

Art Under the Umbrellas starts at 10 am and goes until 4 pm with free admission and free parking. Old Town La Quinta is located in the Village of La Quinta. Take Washington Street south. Go west on Calle Tampico for two blocks. Old Town La Quinta will be on the left-hand side. Visit www.LQAF.com for more information.

ART

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ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY MONICA MORONES

MARNIE L. NAVARRO

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ulti-media artist Marnie L. Navarro (also known as MLN17 in the art world) is not a one dimensional artist, she basically does it all! Painting, screen printing, furniture design, DJ and video, are some of the many medias she dabbles in. With an extensive educational background and impressive resume, Marnie continues to set the standard high for artists everywhere. She is a great example of a wellrounded artist and someone many can look up to.

MM: How old are you and where are you from?

MN: I’m 35 - Cali born and raised; I consider myself to be from the Coachella Valley since I’ve grown up here since the age of 3. I was born in Northern California by accident; literally, my mom went into labor two weeks early while visiting family there.

MM: You do many different types of art! What kind of artist would you classify yourself as?

MN: I’ve made it a point to try everything and anything that has interested me material-wise. I consider myself to be an artist first and foremost – the material is specific to the project/work and does not define me, like, I’m not a “video artist” or a “painter”. I think those kinds of labels can be limiting and self-defeating for artists who want to work in other media. I’m definitely into sculpture, painting, printmaking, photography, drawing, furniture design, video and sound work, pretty much everything with the exception of pottery. ((laughter)) I have absolutely no interest in throwing pots; I’ve done it and it doesn’t hold my interest even though I appreciate pottery and ceramics, as a traditional art and as functional objects.

MM: What is your favorite type of art to do?

MN: At this point, I am working in a multidisciplinary practice, so the work I am interested in making runs the gamut from large oil paintings, public projects, to performance, and everything in between. The content is driven by my personal responses to the world around me...the things I see day to day, the stories in the news, local and global issues surrounding culture – sometimes it’s about the joy of simply being alive and enjoying the physicality of making it. I’ve been participating in some community projects for several years now, mainly with Raices Cultura and S.C.R.A.P. Gallery, and find that these types of projects draw me in...I love to make work specifically for the community.

It’s another component to my practice. I don’t think enough communities have access to art and meaningful creative projects that they can engage with. So I am always open to do this kind of work and the community interaction is probably my favorite part about it; it’s important in a different way from a gallery art show or a museum exhibition.

MM: How did your path to art begin?

MN: I’ve been drawing since I was a kid – whenever I could be in an art class, there I was.

Middle school, high school – art, art, art. Thankfully

November 27 to December 3, 2014

there was art funding along with great art teachers!

I worry for our future generations in general, but I think it’s a particular type of disservice to children to deprive them of access to art education and selfexpression. After A.P. art in high school, I knew I wanted to pursue art as my path so I started taking art classes at College of the Desert and ended up carrying two majors, one in Art, the other in Psychology. From C.O.D., I transferred to Cal State.

MM: What would you describe as your style?

MN: I don’t know that a particular visual style defines me – that feels like an antiquated paradigm to me. The work I make is, at this point, definitely political; I’m currently doing research on governmental structures and power dynamics.

This type of content is what informs my work. I’m also very contented to work on different projects that are not visually or materially related, for example, right now I’m working on a series of video works, a public art project, developing a political performance piece, and also have an ongoing series of small watercolors ((laughter)). I’m most interested in work that opens up dialogue between people or communicates in some way; it’s really an overarching interest in projects that examine human behavior and motivation.

MM: You recently had an art gallery in downtown Palm Springs called LIFEWORK. What is it like to own your own art gallery?

MN: LIFEWORK is an incredible aspect of my art practice and represents my commitment to the arts and to other artists. Owning my own gallery certainly came with its own challenges – I learned everything from the ground up; from construction build outs, to the business side of leases, insurance, contracts with vendors and artists, installations, you name it – I hit the ground running. It costs a lot of money to open and run a gallery and it takes up all your time, which actually was one of my least favorite things about having the brick and mortar space. LIFEWORK opened in 2011 at the onset of the art season and set out to be the premiere gallery for emerging artists in Palm Springs – no one else has done that. We had fantastic shows and supported many great artists during that time.

I was so busy working full-time and managing the gallery that at the end of the day, very little time was left for my own art. Upon realizing that, I had to reevaluate my life goals. I knew that I loved meeting new artists and wanted to keep having shows, but did not want to be tied down to a physical gallery space so the idea of a pop up gallery formed as a perfect solution. After deciding that I was going to apply for graduate school, I closed down the physical gallery space and opened a private studio in August 2013. We had our first LA pop up show several months later. Our current pop up schedule consists of a group show, “The Company We Keep” opening in January 2015 at the Marks Art Center on the C.O.D. campus and another slated for midSeptember 2015 at SPACE Gallery in Pomona.

Planning is underway for another in LA and I’d like to keep it to 4 pop ups a year, one each quarter. The idea really is just to keep finding young artists who

are pursuing art at a deeper level, to support them along the way on their path, and also to provide a legit platform to show their work. These exhibitions are geared toward enriching the community with exposure to high quality thought-provoking work from artists who truly love what they do, while building a supportive network within the arts community, here and afar. I also foresee another physical gallery space in LIFEWORK’s future.

MM: What are the biggest challenges you face as an artist and running a business?

MN: The business aspect of art can be tricky.

You have to be very self-motivated, first and foremost. Capital is the second most important thing ((laughter)). Just to open the doors, you’ve got to sign a lease, which binds you financially for an extended period of time, a business license, business insurance, inspections, utility deposits – I mean you even have to buy fire extinguishers!

Not to mention the websites, design work, printed media, flyers, opening receptions, event permits, exhibition fixtures, and the cost of rent. The third most important thing is finding time for your own work. It’s a very delicate balance and it is difficult to juggle these types of demands successfully, along with whatever life throws at you.

MM: You graduated with two degrees from California State San Bernardino, one in Psychology in 2008, and another in Studio Art in 2011 and you went to an art MFA program in New York this past summer! Tell me about New York.

MN: I was accepted into the Art Practice MFA program at the School of Visual Arts in New York.

It’s an interdisciplinary program, meaning it doesn’t force an artist to pick and choose between what they love – in the program you are encouraged to utilize any and all material and content in your work, if you so choose. For me, SVA is one of the most revolutionary and boundary pushing institutions in our country. SVA has prided itself on supporting and protecting the artistic voice while remaining cutting-edge and supporting the artist with full access to realize any form of creative expression. It is the school I have always dreamed of attending, actually, so I’m truly living the dream right now, it’s a perfect fit. As a low residency program, it allows me to maintain a home base here and go back and forth between New York, as needed. The summer was intense – it was a perfect mix of work and play! The program structure itself is rigorous and is basically full-time Monday - Friday, and when you are not in a class or seminar, you’re in the studio working. We had visiting artists every week and our critiques were led by some of the biggest names in the art world. Artist Carrie Mae Weems and curator Chrissy Iles, for example...I mean I had a critique by Vito Acconci for goodness sakes! It’s a top-notch program with renowned faculty and incredible facilities. I work hard and I like to play hard, too, so I definitely took full advantage of my time there – clubbing until sunrise, hitting museums and shows, and getting to know my cohort, who are now my friends...we’re a close knit group already – SVA MFA AP16 up in here! I made some really great projects

while I was there, some of which are featured here.

This experience is shifting my work in tremendous ways.

MM: How do you juggle school, work, and being an artist?

MN: I told myself that I would quit my full-time job if I got accepted to SVA. So that eliminates the 9 to 5 problem from the equation. Schoolwork and artwork require a balance...some days the scale tips more in the reading/writing direction and other days, I work on art non-stop. Most days, I do a mix of both. It’s give and take, but it has to be somewhat of a balanced structure at the end of the day for me.

MM: How do you feel about the art scene in the Coachella Valley?

MN: The art scene has definitely grown in the Valley from what it was 10+ years ago – it truly was a cultural desert then – somewhat void of anything interesting to do. Luckily, I’ve traveled a lot in my life and this has contributed to and informed my point of view on the arts and culture, in general.

We do truly have a world-class art museum in our backyard with a fantastic permanent collection of work, though. And there are lots of commercial art galleries. Is it New York or Los Angeles? Definitely not and it will never be that. But I’ve grown up here and have seen more progress in the last 5-8 years than ever before. That’s a positive thing. Is it all my taste?

Certainly not. ((laughter)) But everyone is doing what interests them, hopefully, and that is what really matters. Undeniably, there are always going to be different levels of making work, developing projects, creating, and of course technique and overall quality. Nearly half of people who consider themselves to be “artists” today will not be making work 5 years from now – with LIFEWORK, we are only looking for those artists who have already passed this point and will continue working because it’s what they love, no matter what. So if you love it, you just have to keep doing it. The same thing with establishing a vibrant art scene, if it is valued, the local governing body, businesses, and the community in general, will place more emphasis on it, working together to develop a strong support system that provides opportunities for artists and enriches the community with meaningful projects.

MM: What do you think we can do as a community to improve it?

MN: I would like to see the cities that comprise the Coachella Valley provide more funding for art projects and public art works – those types of improvements. We have moved toward that direction but we aren’t quite there yet. I think that a city shows where it stands on arts enrichment by how much they invest, or don’t invest, in art for the local populace, especially for young people. So it would be nice to see like-minded people collaborate on more community-based projects because at the end of the day, it’s all about collective engagement and uplifting the future generations. Art is a way to do that.

MM: What are your art goals and plans once you finish your Master’s program?

MN: It’s a fairly unwritten chapter at the moment that’s about two years away. The most important thing is to focus on my program and develop my work, while continuing with LIFEWORK. MM: Where can we see your work?

MN: Some of my work will be included in the pop up group show at the Marks Art Center.

The LIFEWORK website and online store (www.

LIFEWORKGALLERY.com) are being updated – once that is complete, there will be portfolio links for all of our represented artists, myself included. I have a private Facebook page but can be reached via the LIFEWORK profiles on Facebook and Instagram: LIFEWORKGALLERY. I often post what I’m working on to both of those platforms.

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

Don’t Be

CLUELESS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY

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e hope your Thanksgiving celebration is fabulous for you and your loved ones…and the turkey didn’t mind too much! After all, that beautifully feathered bird was the centerpiece---shorn of his glory, but the star of the show and delicious to boot. In fact, the Gobbler- in- Chief will continue that role in sandwiches, hot-dishes and casseroles of every ethnicity on the globe, aided and abetted by condiments from cranberries to spiced apples, slathered in gravy (if there is any left) and frozen for the months ahead when new recipes are spied. Ah, life is good today from the first Thanksgiving in 1621 when the Plymouth Pilgrims sat down with the Wampanoag tribe to share a bounteous meal. We understand that menu included lobster, seal, salmon and just harvested corn-on-the-cob, thanks to Native American Squanto, gardener-guru. Special thanks to him and Uncle Phil, please don’t let Tommy pass the gravy to Grandpa. Oops.

Tuesday & Wednesday, December 2 & 3. Always Hot-on-the-Docket, the favorite Cabaret 88 series returns to the Annenberg Theater at PSAM (Palm Springs Art Museum). Broadway musical\film\ TV\ actress Joan Ryan lights up the stage w ith her performance that highlights a solid show-biz history including turns as headliner, guest star and soloist in “An Evening of Gershwin” with the San Diego Symphony, “Joan Ryan and A Few Good Men,” “Nunsense,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and on TV’s “The Young & the Restless.”

In 2015, the Cabaret series include Kevin Earley in January, Billy Stritch in February, Spencer Day in March and Donna Theodore in April. Tickets are $88 and include a preshow reception in the museum’s Marcuse Sculpture Garden. Tickets and can be ordered on-line at www.psmuseum.com or by calling the box office 760-325-4490.

Follow the museum on Facebook, Twitter and InstaGram.

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Wednesday, December 3, 7 PM, and Saturday, December 6, 3 PM. “Stars I Shall Find,” The Holiday Concert. Lifting their voices in the songs of the Holiday Season are the MODERN MEN, the Coachella Valley Men’s Chorus, a new 50 member men’s choral group, created under the Artistic Direction of , noted composer and director Bob Seeley, with piano accompanist Bruce Magnum. Put simply, the group says in chorus, “We are MODERN MEN, who love to sing. Familiar carols such as “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “The First Noel,” “Santa Baby,” and surprising humorous -fare from contemporary song-books, plus Hanukkah favorites. We welcome to our ranks all men in the Coachella Valley who love to share their voices.” In fact, open rehearsals are Tuesday nights at Metropolitan Community Church, 32150 Candlewood Dr, Cathedral City, 7 to 10 PM. Hear them perform at Temple Isaiah, 332 W Alejo Rd., Palm Springs. Tickets, $25 per person purchased from a chorus member, or online at www.

ModernMen.org

Thursday, December 4. Time for the McCallum Theatre Annual Fundraising Gala starring this year Six-Time Tony Award Winner Audra McDonald, Broadway/TV and recording actress/performer, and Tony and Emmy Award Winner Martin Short, comedic performer (SCTV and Saturday Night Live), plus solid credits as actor, writer, singer, voice actor, and producer, on Broadway and on film. The event is co-chaired by Helene Galen and Harold Matzner. Invitations have been mailed for the performance and preshow dinner at one of four restaurants: Cuistot, Jillian’s, La Spiga and Wally’s Desert Turtle. The Annual Gala will also

BY DIANE MARLIN-DIRKX pay tribute to Donna MacMillan, a woman of monumental generosity. Proceeds from this annual fundraising event help fund McCallum Theatre operations as well as arts education programs that bring training in theatre, dance, music and visual arts to 40,000 schoolchildren and educators each year, in 228 classrooms. These funds also make it possible to continue to bring world-class performances to over 150,000 residents and visitors to the Coachella Valley annually. Additional invitations and sponsorships are available now and may be obtained by contacting Judi Cohen, Manager of Special Events at (760) 7766186 or jcohen@mccallum-theatre.org.

The McCallum Theatre Box Office, its phone center and website, are the only authorized outlets for tickets to performances presented at the Theatre. Tickets purchased from any other sources, such as brokers or secondary market websites, are purchased at consumer’s own risk and cannot be guaranteed as valid.

Thursday, December 4, 4 PM – 6 PM. Say “howdy” to Stuart Anderson, no vegan, who built the Black Angus Steakhouse, America’s #1 restaurant chain of the 1980s, who knew where the beef was because he ranched and raised them on his own 26,000 acre spread on Washington state. Author of Corporate Cowboy, Anderson will sign and discuss his memoir which is told with his inimitable wit, straight forward cowboy logic and clever business savvy. He writes of WWII, business start-ups and step-downs, management feuds, love affairs, community service and so much more, sharing both his successes and failures, telling tales of his posse of pals, plus juicy inkings of Hollywood stars and business big-wigs he’s met and befriended along the trail..

Presented by the Friends of the College of the Desert Library. Members, $35, nonmembers $40. Price includes refreshments, book, author discussion and signing. All proceeds benefit the COD Library. At OMNI Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, 41000 Bob Hope DR., Rancho Mirage. More Info, call 760-333-0733.

Friday, December 5, 8:00 PM. Very Merry! That’s what happens when KJJZ’s Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald and the McCallum present “A Peter White Christmas.” It’s the happy result of a harmonious blending of all that is jazz with holiday favorites produced for one performance only with guest artists Rick Braun, uber-meister of

the horn from trumpet to flugelhorn and Mindi Abair, known for her smooth jazz saxophone. Rick’s latest album, Can You Feel It, returns to his jazz-funk roots.” A crisp freshness and vibrancy mirrors the great pleasure” the musician felt making it, says a reviewer. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, Mindi’s debut album, It Just Happens That Way (2003), stayed in the Top 10 for 19 consecutive weeks and Life Less Ordinary (2005) remained in the Top 20 for 45 weeks. This performance is sponsored by Desert Lexus, CBS-TV2 and KJJZ 102.3-FM. Tickets are $75, $55, $45 and $25 and are available at the Theatre’s web site at www. mccallumtheatre.com, or by calling the box office at (760) 340-ARTS. The McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert CA. Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7.

Free to all attending, it’s time for a Weekend of celebration when the 23rd Annual Indio International Tamale Festival welcomes at least 125,000 people, including families of all ages from Tots to Grand-pops! Led

by Grand Marshal Randy Caballero, a.k.a.

“El Matador,” world-champion Bantam Weight, at Fantasy Spring Resort Casino, official presenting sponsor since 1999, the excitement starts with a parade on Saturday at 10 AM from Miles Avenue Park to Oasis St. Members of the Indio City Council, led

by Mayor Lupe Ramos Watson, will be in the parade with Santa Claus at its end in an antique Fire truck. Performers will appear to the delight of the crowd on five stages, and revs up with the 2nd annual car show, an art and wine garden, arts and craft exhibits, vendor exhibits, sponsor displays, live entertainment, family-friendly activities, and of course, tempting, tantalizing Tamale Booths! Ranked one of the top ten “Food Festivals” in the nation, the Festival features the traditional competition for the best Tamale recipe, and a Tamale-eating contest.

For more info, contact its producer Keva Works, Inc., 760-832-8620, ext. 46; or online at www.tamalefestival.net.

“Don’t Be Clueless” wants to remind you that press releases for inclusion should be in to the Coachella Valley Weekly at least two weeks ahead of the scheduled event!

Thanks!

THEATRE

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BY KIRA GOLDEN

MARYLIN.. MADNESS, & ME

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n November 19th, the Rancho Mirage Public Library hosted a performance of Frank V. Furino’s Marilyn...Madness, and Me, a play about an average guy whose life changed after he met Marilyn Monroe. The play ran for about a month at the El Portal Theater in Hollywood, and starred Alison Janes in the iconic role of Marilyn and Adam Meyer as Tim; an auto mechanic and narrator of the fantastical story of his relationship with the starlet.

The concept for this unique peek into the private life of Marilyn Monroe was dreamed up by local business owner Didier Bloch, who owns and operates the popular Café des Beaux-Arts on El Paseo. Three years ago Frank Furino and his wife had a fateful dinner at Mr. Bloch’s establishment, and, hearing that Furino was a writer, Bloch gave him a notebook full of his ideas--all in French. Once translated however, it became clear that there was something special about it. “Within the first two paragraphs,” Furino said, “I was dumbstruck. I went to Didier and I said, ‘What do you what to do with this?’ And he said, ‘You’re a writer, you tell me!’ I said, ‘I think it’s a play.’ He said, ‘Write it!’ But I cut my teeth on sports and news. I don’t write plays.”

Fortunately for posterity, he decided to give it a shot anyway. Through many drafts and help from director Joe Leonardo, the play ended up on a Hollywood stage with rave reviews. Now, about a month after the last Hollywood performance, the cast reunited at the production’s birthplace for a fundraising event. Tickets sales for this sold out onenight event will go to benefit the Library Foundation, which will use the money to fund programs, such as their Summer Reading Club which helps about 1300 children.

DIDIER BLOCH OF CAFE DES BEAUX-ARTS

Given the limitations of the venue, this was not the full splendor of the Hollywood production, but rather a reading, where the actors had their scripts and the set was more minimal than when they had the benefits of a full Hollywood stage. Having said that, the reading was no less captivating, nor did the actors disappoint with their performances.

We open with Tim, who explains his lot in life--an auto mechanic who takes a gig as a limo driver to earn some extra cash and, by fortunate happenstance, ends up driving Marilyn Monroe. He is captivated by her and arranges things so that he is her sole driver and develops a friendly relationship with her and her trusted household staff. Over time, he falls in love with her real self--not the Marilyn Monroe persona that she wears in public, but with Norma Jean, the person. The story is told through Tim’s narration and through Marilyn’s own words, as written in her diary, which he received after her death. Tim’s set is in the forefront of the stage and Marilyn’s is further back, behind a scrim, keeping her ethereal and untouchable--a ghost or a memory; distant and unattainable.

Tim relates the story of her death and how her diary explains her heartache over her forbidden love with John F. Kennedy. Tim blames the president for her death, and the latter portion of Act I and the entirety of Act II deal with the consequences therein and our protagonist’s unwitting connection to both Lee Harvey Oswald and Sirhan Sirhan, the two men responsible for assassinating John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy respectively.

Though Tim had no direct hand in the killings, he wanted both men dead for how they treated Marilyn, and he came in contact with both assassins, possibly influencing their actions.

The story is one of sweet sadness--a man who wants nothing more than to treat Marilyn with the kindness she deserves, and a woman who can’t see past the flash of the prominent men who want her nor escape from the patterns of her past. The play is speckled with fascinating facts about the starlet’s life; such as how she struggled with a stutter, and how the first time she signed an autograph “Marilyn Monroe,” she didn’t know how to spell it. An imaginative and unique telling of a timeless tale of a classic beauty. She will never be forgotten, and neither will this production.

November 27 to December 3, 2014

THEATRE BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL A STAGE REVIEW OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL

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crooge in Rouge, now playing at the Desert Rose Theatre in Rancho Mirage and running through December 21st, offers an unique holiday staging of Charles Dicken’s, “A Christmas Carol.”

Described as an ‘English Pantomime’, Music Hall version of A Christmas Carol. Part British panto and part Victorian peep show, Scrooge in Rouge, is a campy, entertaining romp through the Dicken’s classic tale.

With Book & Lyrics by Ricky Graham, Music

by Jefferson Turner Additional Material by Jeffrey Roberson (Varla Jean Merman)& Yvette Hargis, this version of the classic, is a ‘play within a play’ as three characters from an English acting troupe are forced to prove the adage ‘the show must go on’ when 20 out of 23 cast members are stricken with food poisoning and force the remaining three to perform all of the roles in the show.

Ryan Dominguez, as Miss Vesta Virile, aka Scrooge, is the highlight. He is engaging and delightful and a real pleasure to watch as he is dragged through the expedited visits from Christmas’ past, present and future. Alexander Todd, stole the show as an Oscar Wilde, rendition of ‘Christmas Present’. What this production lacks in imagination with set and stage design, it more than makes up for with Jennifer Brawn Gittings, costume designs. The costumes are definitely a forth character in this play.

I found myself laughing out loud when an audience member was pulled to the stage to fill the role of Tiny Tim and a long bib with tiny crutches was fastened around his neck.

Steven Smith’s live musical direction really adds life and color to the show, it is a steady back beat of ambiance and mood.

While I would not categorize ‘Scrooge in Rouge’ as a show for all audiences, it’s target is definitely gay men, it’s humor and comedy does offer entertainment for those who are just looking for a fun evening out and a little holiday cheer. Singing, dancing and a bit of raunchy humor, Scrooge in

BY DEE JAE COX PHOTOS BY JIM STRAIT

Rouge is definitely worth as see. Just leave the kids at home.

While they state their mission is to serve the local and tourist LGBT communities The Desert Rose Theatre, has zero stars in my Gender Equity ‘Stars on Broadway’ rating, not a single female playwright or production with a female audience in mind lined up in their season. But it’s a great space for intimate theatre. Artistic Director Jim Strait and Managing Director Paul Taylor run the show and they do it with professionalism and creativity.

Scrooge in Rouge, runs through December 21, 2014 The Desert Rose Playhouse is located at 69-620 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 For Tickets: desertroseplayhouse.org Dee Jae Cox, is a playwright, director and producer. She is the Cofounder and Artistic Director for The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project and the host of KPTR 1450’s hit radio show, “California Woman 411” in Palm Springs.

From Left to Right: Timm McBride as “Charlie Schmaltz”, Ryan Dominquez as “Vesta Virile”, and Alexander Todd as “Miss Lottie Obbligato”

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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26TH ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS GALA

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OSAMUND PIKE TO RECEIVE THE BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE AWARD, ACTRESS The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present Rosamund Pike with the Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress at its annual Awards Gala. The Gala will also present awards to previously announced honorees Julianne Moore, Eddie Redmayne and J.K. Simmons. Presented by Cartier, and hosted by Mary Hart, the Awards Gala will be held Saturday, January 3 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs January 2-12.

“Rosamund Pike perfectly taps into Gillian Flynn’s complex character from the novel “Gone Girl” bringing to life the privileged, manipulative and calculating Amy Dunne. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role,” said Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “For this outstanding performance it is an honor to present her with the 2015 Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress.”

Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Marion Cotillard, Lupita Nyong’o, Carey Mulligan, Felicity Huffman, Jennifer Hudson and Jeremy Renner. In the years they were honored, Cotillard, Hudson and Nyong’o went on to receive Academy Awards®, while Huffman and Renner received nominations.

From the tour de force thriller that became a bestselling must-read comes David Fincher’s screen version of Gone Girl, a wild ride through our modern media culture and down into the deep, dark fault lines of an American marriage – in all its unreliable promises, inescapable deceits and pitch-black comedy. The screenplay is

by Gillian Flynn based upon her novel. The Twentieth Century Fox film stars Ben Affleck with Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry.

Rosamund Pike was nominated for a 2011 London Critics’ Circle Award for “British Actress in a Supporting Role” for her role in Made in Dagenham. For Barney’s Version Pike earned a 2011 London Critics’

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Circle Award for “British Actress of the Year” and a Genie Award nomination for best actress. Pike’s other film credits include An Education, The World’s End, Jack Reacher, Wrath of the Titans, Johnny English Reborn, The Big Year, Women in Love, The Libertine, Pride and Prejudice, Fracture, Fugitive Pieces, Surrogates, Burning Palms, What We Did on Our Holiday, Hector and the Search for Happiness, A Long Way Down and Die Another Day. Pike’s theater roles include “Gaslight,” Patrick Hamilton’s Victorian thriller, at the Old Vic Theater, The Donmar Warehouse Production of “Madame de Sade” in The West End, The Royal Court Theatre production of “Hitchcock Blonde,” and the title role in “Hedda Gabler.” On television, Pike has been working on the upcoming re-invention of classic kids series “Thunderbirds Are Go!” JULIANNE MOORE TO RECEIVE DESERT PALM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Each year the festival selects an actor and actress to receive this award. “Throughout her career, Julianne Moore has delivered a wide range of extraordinary performances, from such diverse Oscar-nominated films as Boogie Nights and Far from Heaven to this year’s Cannes win for Best Actress in the riveting Maps to the Stars,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “In her latest film Still Alice, she faces one of her most demanding and challenging roles as Alice, a woman diagnosed with EarlyOnset Alzheimer’s Disease. Moore delivers another career-defining performance that is sure to captivate audiences and bring attention to this devastating disease. It is our honor to present the 2015 Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, to Julianne Moore.”

Past actress recipients of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, include Sandra Bullock, Natalie Portman, Halle Berry, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Naomi Watts and Michelle Williams.

Moore plays Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, and is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she received

diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking and inspiring.

The Sony Pictures Classics film stars Moore, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Alec Baldwin, Hunter Parrish and is directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland.

The film is being released in New York and Los Angeles for a one-week qualifying run on December 5, 2014 and opens on January 16, 2015 Moore’s notable films include the remake of Carrie; Non-Stop; Crazy, Stupid, Love; The Kids Are All Right; A Single Man; The Forgotten; What Maisie Knew; The English Teacher; Laws Of Attraction; Chloe; 6 Souls; Blindness; Savage Grace; I’m Not There; Children Of Men; Hannibal; Jurassic Park: The Lost World; The Fugitive; Nine Months; Benny & Joon; The Hand That Rocks The Cradle; The End Of The Affair; Boogie Nights; Magnolia; Cookie’s Fortune; Short Cuts; Don Jon; Gus Van Sant’s re-make of Psycho; Safe; Vanya On 42nd Street; Surviving Picasso; and The Big Lebowski.

Moore will next be seen as President Alma Coin in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.

Next year she will star in The Seventh Son due out on February 6, 2015 and Maps To The Stars. She is currently in production on the indie drama Freeheld.

Moore is a four-time Academy Award nominee, eight-time Golden Globe nominee, six-time SAG Award nominee, four-time BAFTA nominee, and a threetime Independent Spirit Award nominee winning in 2003 for Far From Heaven. In 2012, she won the Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role as Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in the HBO original movie Game Change. This role also garnered wins at the 2013 SAG Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

J.K. SIMMONS TO RECEIVE THE SPOTLIGHT AWARD, ACTOR “Throughout his career J.K. Simmons had played a wide range of roles from tough guys in “Oz” and Sam Raimi’s Spider Man films to nicer guys in Juno and Up in the Air,” said Harold Matzner, Chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

“In Whiplash, Simmons’ shines with his tough guy portrayal of a music teacher, who physically and emotionally terrorizes a young drummer, and gives a captivating performance that is alternately hilarious and terrifying. We are honored to present J.K. Simmons with the 2015 Spotlight Award, Actor.”

Past recipients of the Spotlight Award include Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, Amy Adams and Helen Hunt. All four recipients received Academy Award® nominations in the year they were honored.

In Whiplash, Andrew Neyman is an ambitious young jazz drummer, singleminded in his pursuit to rise to the top of his elite east coast music conservatory.

FILM

Plagued by the failed writing career of his father, Andrew hungers day and night to become one of the greats. Terence Fletcher, an instructor equally known for his teaching talents as for his terrifying methods, leads the top jazz ensemble in the school. Fletcher discovers Andrew and transfers the aspiring drummer into his band, forever changing the young man’s life. Andrew’s passion to achieve perfection quickly spirals into obsession, as his ruthless teacher continues to push him to the brink of both his ability— and his sanity. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, the Sony Pictures Classics film stars Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons.

J.K. Simmons has appeared in diverse projects spanning motion pictures, television and the stage on and off Broadway. His motion picture credits include Sam Raimi’s Spider Man trilogy, Hidalgo, The Ladykillers, The Mexican, Off the Map, For Love of the Game, The Gift, Thank You for Smoking, Rendition, Burn After Reading, Juno, The Words, The Music Never Stopped, Jennifer’s Body, Extract, The Vicious Kind, I Love You Man, Beginner’s Guide to Endings, Contraband, Up in the Air, Jobs, Labor Day. His upcoming projects include The Reluctant Professor opposite Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei, Gillian Raimi’s next feature Murder of a Cat and Jeremy Sisto’s feature Breakpoint.

On the small screen Simmons played roles in TNT’s hit series “The Closer,” HBO’s acclaimed drama “Oz,” NBC’s “Growing Up Fisher” NBC’s “Law & Order,” NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” and a recurring role on TBS’ new hit comedy “Men at Work.”

Simmons has appeared on the Broadway stage in performances of “Guys and Dolls,” “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” “A Change in the Heir,” “Peter Pan” and “A Few Good Men.”

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

BY TRACY DIETLIN

MEET PAUL Z OF DESERT DJ ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

PERFORMING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28 AT SCHMIDY’S TAVERN

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is that we will have a new lead singer Carl Bensley. Tommy won’t be touring with us on these dates. It’s nothing personal or anything like that. I mean we only had one singer and that was (the late) Lynn Strait and we’ve had some great people fill in for us.

CVW: So after this do you have more Snot tour dates?

MD: Yes we have 22 shows in the US, 30 shows in Europe in February, and 11 shows in Australia, and one in New Zealand, then we go to Southeast Asia to Jakarta, Singapore and Thailand.

CVW: In our last interview you mentioned that you almost enjoyed producing more than performing live. Do you still feel that way?

MD: I can’t say more than performing live it’s just that I have performed live a lot in the last 25 years and I’ve done it so much but I’ve only been producing for 10 years and now I’m producing on a much higher level so that’s why it’s so exciting being in the studio.

But I will always love playing live shows.

CVW: Can you talk about some of your new projects?

MD: Well I just released 2 albums with my band Channel Zero where I played guitar and wrote the songs. I have a record out right now on Metal Blade Records called Kill All Kings and I’m super proud of that record.

At the moment I’m co-producing a band called Sunflower Dead with Dave Fortman who has produced so many amazing bands.

We’re recording it at Brad Garrow’s studio (from Brain Vat).

CVW: You mentioned that you might move back here. Is that a possibility?

MD: Well let’s just say I’ve been spending a lot more time here in the Coachella Valley and I’ve fallen back in love with it.

I moved from here in 1986 and I ran from here because there just didn’t seem to be possibilities for musicians here. And while I was gone all kinds of music came out of the desert (laughing). And I got to watch from

DESERT DJS

BY CRAIG MICHAELS

AN INTERVIEW WITH MIKEY DOLING FROM SNOT t doesn’t matter if you’re a punk rocker or a metal head. If you are a true desert rocker (born here or have lived here for 20 years or so) then you know that Mikey Doling is a certified hometown musical hero. Not only is he known for his bands Snot, Soulfly and Channel Zero, but he has also made his mark as a highly in demand producer with credits that include Gemini Syndrome along with local bands Remnants of Man and Se7en4, just to name a few. He is currently working with famed producer Dave Fortman (Godsmack, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Evanescence) co-producing the band Sunflower Dead.

This Friday night at Schmidy’s Tavern, Mikey Doling’s band Snot will take the stage for his second hometown performance, with the first show being last March at The Hood. This event was dialed in by Ming Bob Productions and is proudly being sponsored

by CV Weekly.

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of hanging out with Doling, his beautiful wife Kaori and their 2 year old son Jaxx. During that time I got to know Doling as a man who loves his family, his bands and his life.

He is full of stories from the road as he has opened for too many major bands to list here and has headlined many a tour with his own bands.

Doling and his family currently split their time between Japan (where he is part owner of the Roxy Tokyo) and LA, however they are considering a possible move to the Coachella Valley. Here are a few things that Doling had to say.

CVW: Last March was the first time you ever did a show with Snot here in your hometown. How did that feel and what will be different this time?

MD: Last year was totally fucking awesome. It was so cool to see all my friends that I grew up with rockin out with me. It was like coming home. This time will be the same good time. The only thing different

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a distance of course starting with Kyuss and then QOTSA so I was totally proven wrong about being able to make a music career from the desert but I was already out there touring the world and admiring the music scene here. Now that I’m spending more time here I’m definitely considering buying a home and raising my family here and then touring from here. I feel like I’ve come full circle in the last 30 years.

CVW: Can you tell our readers about being in the 9th grade with Sean Wheeler and Mario Lalli and when you first started doing music?

MD: I know that Mario is the Godfather of desert rock even the guys from Queens know that. We all look up to him. But before that in the 9th grade we were in math together and he would wear his jacket with Black Flag on it and I had a shirt with Judas Priest on it and it was really cool for us to share our takes on music then. It was cool to watch him from a distance, go from there to taking all the guys into Rhythm & Brews and developing this total music scene here.

Sean and I went to elementary school together and we hung out at a skate shop on Palm Canyon and we went to our first concert together, Black Flag, in Palm Springs in 1980.

CVW: When we were hanging out last

night you shared so many cool stories from being out on the road but the ones about the late Dimebag Darrell from Pantera were very touching. Can you share that with our readers?

MD: I was fortunate enough to tour with Pantera more than once. I did Ozzfest with them and then I did their last tour which was Reinventing the Steel which was a fullblown American tour. And every night Dime insisted on me partying with him which I didn’t mind but every now and then I would need to take a break and he would come and personally grab me off the bus and take me into the bar and one night we were drunk and I said ‘Dimebag, my life would be complete if I could jump on stage and jam with Pantera, and the next day I was up on stage crossing guitars with him and that lasted for the next 11 nights.

If you missed Snot’s last desert show in March then you do not want to miss this one. If you were at the last show then you know why you should tell all your friends to be at this one.

Snot with Brain Vat and Thira perform Friday, November 28 at Schmidy’s Tavern.

Starts at 9pm. 21 & over. $15.00 at the door.

Mikey Doling facebook.com/SnotOfficial snotmerch.com

channel-zero.be Brain Vat facebook.com/BrainVatmusic Thira facebook.com/thiraband Schmidy’s Tavern schmidystavern.com

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rowing up in Indio, Paul Zepeda always had an interest in music.

He graduated from Indio High School where he played the trumpet in the Pride of The Desert Marching Band. Paul decided to attend COD after high school but was not sure where his path would take him. He had many friends who were DJs and MCs who would let him tag along to their gigs playing at clubs and weddings.

Eventually at 26, Paul decided to buy his first system which consisted of two CD decks and a fledgling music library. After many months of practicing and entertaining family and friends at house parties, he received a call one Saturday that would kick start his career. A DJ for a wedding reception was a no show and they asked if Paul could cover the gig. Paul figured it was now or never, “I said yes and boy was I nervous! By the end of the night the bride and groom were very happy even calling me a hero,” he recalls.

It was at that point that Paul realized he wanted to do more weddings. ”It’s such a

November 27 to December 3, 2014

TILTED KILT OPEN MIC COMPETITION FALL EDITION WEEK 9 WINNERS

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he Tilted Kilt Open Mic Competition brought excitement and fun times in week 9! The audience cheered for their favorite musicians as well as for t-shirts and prizes from the Mary Pickford Theater. After an initial vote and then a secondary tie-breaking vote, it was just too close to call so 2 winners were declared for first place and will move on to the finals on December 17th! Ryder and Jackie sung a sweet tune and took home 2 tickets to Knott’s Berry Farm. Rap group NGB rhymed their way in and won 2 tickets and a concession package to the Mary Pickford Theatre. Both Ryder and Jackie as well as Preston & Shawn of NGB have now earned a spot in the Grand Finals where they’ll compete for the grand prizes of a 3 day/2 night trip to Las Vegas from Crater Lake Vodka, a $500 shopping spree at Guitar Center and a n entire weekend recording session with producer Ronnie King at his Chateau Relaxo to produce one mastered “radio ready” track.

Second place was awarded to Ty Huff aka Hunned Grand Who King who left with a $25 gift certificate to Burgers and Beer.

I am so proud that our competition’s performers are really all about the music and coming out to perform for the fun and pleasure of it and to support one another in the music community. THANK YOU for putting on a great show: Dan Scopelitis, Will Kelly, Mike Sick-boy, Felipe Reyes, Jim Holiday, Richard Finn and Gilbert, Tanya Nunez, Brianna Finnell, Marco Thoma, Paul Gihren, Joseph Vaughan and Jasyn Smith of The Classy Mother Fu?kers, Kyle Paras, Damian De Leon, Rick Dame, James Velasquez and Everett Erickson. I hope to see you all next

EVENTS

week! Look for coverage of this week’s event and the announcement of winners in the next issue of Coachella Valley Weekly! SPECIAL THANKS to all of our sponsors: Ronnie King Music, Guitar Center, Crater Lake Vodka, EstheticX.Obsession Massage & Wax Bar, Riccio’s Steak, Seafood and Pasta, CV Weekly and Mary Pickford Theater, Abe’s Brand and Skitzo Kitty. AND THANKS to Johnny Carmona for being an awesome sound technician throughout each show.

Remember, the Tilted Kilt Open Mic Competition is ALL AGES and runs EVERY WEDNESDAY. YOU may compete EVERY week!

PLEASE NOTE: Due to our overwhelming number of interested performers, sign in starts at 7pm and will be closed at 7:45pm. BRING YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY and FANS and note that the competition runs from 8-11pm so be sure your friends and family know to stay until the end to voice their vote!!! For questions or information about sign-up, please see facebook. com/TiltedKiltOpenMicCompetition or contact creator and host, Morgan James at OpenMicContact@gmail.com or (714) 651-1911

rewarding feeling, especially after all the work I put into it but the end result makes it all worth it,” explains Paul.

One short year after his first solo gig, Paul began his company, Desert DJ Entertainment Group. A true professional who’s qualities can best be describe as friendly, courteous, responsible, reliable, helpful, and tentative to his client’s needs.

Fifteen years later, Paul has five DJ’s working for him who can satisfy and crowd playing a wide range of musical styles dating back to the 1940s to today’s new music.

For the past three years, in addition to his mobile DJ gigs, Paul has been doing shows locally. Some of the Venues include The Hood in Palm Desert, The Date Shed in Indio and, The Tack Room Tavern in Indio.

Last month his company hosted their third annual Terror at the Tackroom, Halloween party which featured many talented DJ’s and a handful of awesome local bands; Long Duk Dong, What The Funk, Eevaan Tre and The Show. This annual event drew about 1000 people and continues to grow.

Paul says he is adding bands to more of his shows and is always looking for new venues to promote. If want to contact Paul at Desert DJ Entertainment Group, you can reach him at: (760) 218-4725 or by email at: desertdj97@gmail.com.

Written By: Craig Michaels Musical Affair Entertainment www.musicalaffair.com

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

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LOCAL MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

BY LISA MORGAN

JPATRON COLUMBIA AND COACHELLA VALLEY’S PURO ORO @ DATE SHED IN INDIO, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 9PM 18+ $5

“It’s good to go back to your roots so you can grow some branches” - J.Patron

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stand-alone artist, this poet/ emcee is as rich in true life stories and culture as he is in rhymes, music and energy. J.Patron (Camilo Gomez) came to the United States with his mother and father in the late 80’s, escaping the cocaine wars and economical oppression of Escobar terrorized Columbia. Only 4 years old at the time, this artist has vivid memories of making the journey from his troubled city, Bogota, to the Coachella Valley. “The Escobar era in Columbia was a nasty era with cocaine, guerrillas, corrupt government... it wasn’t a safe place to have a family,” Patron shared. “After Escobar was shot and killed, it changed. Now it’s turned into a tourist attraction. We go down there every other year now. But back then, it was crazy.”

I asked Patron if he had any specific memories of coming to America. “I remember it really well. It was a huge journey, going through Mexico, Mexico City and Tijuana. I remember seeing immigration officers. At 4 years old, I knew what was going on, what we were doing. I fully understood what the green squad cars were. Even though I was only four, I had a pretty good understanding of things. It made me grow up really quickly.”

It’s life experiences like this that perhaps set J.Patron apart in many ways. “There are many artists in Hip-hop and other urban genres that talk about something they’re not, or things they haven’t experienced.

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They make up a sort of “Tony Montana” (Scarface) facade. But me, my music - it comes from real life. The ups the downs and the triumphs.”

J.Patron considers both Columbia and the US home, and is one of the few artists to boast a fan base in both. But he gives full credit to the United States for his decision and direction in pursuing his music. “Most definitely, coming here is the reason I started making music. This is the home of Hip-hop. The Hip-hop genre was born in New York and spread from there. My first exposure to Hip-hop was Cyprus Hill when I first came to the states. My cousin had their music and a poster on his wall. I’ve always listened to Hip-hop, but in ‘92, I had more access. I listened to the stuff that my parents tried to keep me away from - stuff with profanity like Guru and Gang Starr, and EPMD. Nas was a key factor in my motivation to become an emcee and to do what I do now.”

JPatron shared how his music developed from those early days: “I started rapping in ‘99, and then was pretty much forced into becoming a producer. To have anyone else do it for me was too expensive. It was cheaper for me to just get the equipment and learn how to do it. Recently, I’ve been reconnecting with my roots more and a taking a whole different approach to my music. I’m opening up to more things and more versatile artists. I don’t want to sound like just one thing; before I was influenced by more soul, classic rock and blues. Now, I’m listening to Cumbia, Salsa, and especially Reggae; more of the things I grew up on that my mom and dad played. It’s good to go back to your roots, so you can grow some branches.”

With a fan base in the thousands, many of whom are in Columbia and Chile, J.Patron has been vocal about the struggles of being a Latino male in his genre of choice here in the States. “It can be tough. The majority of artists in Hip-hop are black, and even now, thanks to Eminem, white. But if you’re Latino, it’s kind of like a joke. It seems lately, more of the mainstream media are opening up to it. More Latin artists from the US and Latin countries are being signed to major labels. I’ve been watching it move a lot quicker on the East Coast, and it’s just starting to find its way to the West Coast.

It’s different for me here in the Coachella Valley. There aren’t many artists that rap in Spanish here. I seem to get a better reception in LA or New York or Columbia.

Here, I’m more of an oddity.”

I asked JPatron what keeps him going in his chosen genre in-spite of the challenges: “It’s a big part of my life; what I grew up listening to. In all reality, it’s what made me want to make music at all. To be able to tell a story with poems and put it on the beat - I love it. It’s expression. It’s art.”

THR3 STRYKES - READY TO LAUNCH

I

In late October, J.Patron released a new 8 song album on Puro Oro Records, Mi Vida, Volume 2, and it is available on iTunes.

He will be headlining this Friday night (November 28) at the famous Date Shed in Indio. There with a special performance by Cakes, another local artist who is featured in an extremely well-produced video for the song, “Dia De Mi Suerte”, directed by Chuck

Films. The show is open to 18 years and older and is $5 at the door.

You can follow JPatron at these links: TWITTER.COM/JPATRONMUSIC YOUTUBE.COM/JPATRONMUSIC INSTAGRAM.COM/JPATRONMUSIC WWW.JPATRONMUSIC.COM Find out information for the Date Shed at www.dateshedmusic.com

f you are an obstacle standing between Josh Hall and Josh Fimbres and/or their music, you may or may not be asked to step the hell aside before they plow right past you. Co-captains of the award winning Hip-hop team, Thr3 Strykes, these emcees of power poetry supported by their own aggressive rocking style of rap rhythm, have risen to the top of their peer pool in-spite of what at times felt, like a “foot on their neck”. Based on what I have heard of their newest contributions, and those to come, any resistance they’ve ever faced has only made them stronger. The new music is powerful and skillfully performed and produced.

I first saw Thr3 Strykes, almost two years ago.

I was at the Hood Bar and Pizza to see another band, one that included Josh Hall’s big brother, Steven. Steven Hall was a man who had earned my highest respects as a powerful rock drummer, a passionate performer and a really good human.

“My little brother’s opening up for us,” Steven had told me excitedly. “He’s in a Hip-Hop group, believe it or not, and they’re really good!” I have to be honest. I hadn’t found myself drawn to Hip-hop in a long time. Like many other middle class, music connoisseurs my age, I enjoyed an occasional romp with the earlier purveyors of the genre. I appreciated the Brooklyn spiced punk/ rap rebel themes of the Beastie Boys, got crazy whenever I heard Run-D.M.C.’s “It’s Tricky”, and threw my hands in the air for Cypress Hill. But since those early days, I hadn’t found much to relate to in the genre. So, needless to say, I wasn’t overly excited to wade through this new group as I waited for the headliner. I was in for a brilliant surprise.

This was my review: “If you think about it, there really hasn’t been a group to emulate the energy, cross-genre appeal and success that has been owned by the Beastie Boys since their debut of Licensed to Ill in 1986.

Thr3 Strykes, I believe, has the absolute capacity to fill that vacancy in today’s music scene with their personalized, contemporary flare. From the millisecond their feet touched the stage at the Hood Bar, the energy just about blew the doors off the building leading me to finally understand fully the phrase “Raising the Roof”. It was obvious that these artists live, breathe and bleed their art.

There are three distinct, magnetic personalities pouring out their thug poetry with passion and precision, honoring some of their predecessors in the genre with great skill. My guess is MCA was looking down proudly on this younger collaboration. Thr3 Strykes has that ‘it’ factor that ultimately put the Beastie Boys into the Rock and Roll hall of fame, only the third group in the genre to be honored. That ‘It’ factor is a genuine like-

ability of the individuals combined with a no holds barred pouring out of passion, skill and heart.

They left it all on the floor. They owned the crowd.

If they continue to do what they did that night at the Hood and stay healthy in mind, body and soul, in an industry that will bleed you out if you let it, the sky is the limit for Thr3 Strykes.”

This past May, Thr3 Strykes was awarded 2014’s Best Rap Group at the Coachella Valley Music Awards. I love it when I’m right. It didn’t come easy for them by any means. There were some difficult changes made in personnel that could have threatened the future of any other band. I remember feeling the need in my review to qualify their future success with staying “healthy in mind, body and soul in an industry that will bleed you out if you let it.” This was due to the fact that one of the three Strykes, Jesse Brown, had been kicked out of the venue at sound check.

It was ultimately worked out, and they were able to perform. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the last problem surrounding this dynamic and talented, now former member of Thr3 Strykes. Things came to a head quite publicly during a show at Willie Boy’s Saloon. Fimbres and Brown began bumping heads on stage and finished it in the parking lot. Fimbres and Hall were very gentle in their explanation of having to let Brown, a long-time friend, go from the band.

CVW: What led up to the departure of Jesse Brown from the group?

Fimbres: “The number one thing for me was that I just got tired of being embarrassed. When it got to the point where studio A, B and C and venue 1, 2 and 3 were saying, ‘We can’t have you associated with us or play at our place,’ because of the behavior of one of our members, not only are you messing with my musical credibility, but you’re messing with my pocket book. I love the guy. I’ve known Jesse for 20 years. I wish we could just hang out and have a beer, but I can’t do music with him anymore.”

Hall: “He just wasn’t as professional as he should have been. Partying is cool, but when it’s time to be professional, he just wasn’t up to par with that. Jesse had just done too much. I think he always meant well, but just wasn’t in the right mind set. I’m the grounder of the band. If I think somebody’s getting out of line, I’ll tell them to chill out. He and Josh were more like twin brothers where they’d just bump heads all the time. Before that last show at Willie Boys, Jesse wasn’t out of control, but he wasn’t stable. He blew our intro and started bumping heads with Josh (Fimbres) on stage. It culminated in an altercation in the parking lot, and since Jesse wasn’t in the right frame of mind, he got the worst of it. That was just the last straw. We had talked to him before, and we made the executive decision that it would be easier to move forward with just the two of us.

Jesse is a good guy. He’s a great guy. He just comes off the wrong way. But it has been better since he’s been gone. We don’t have to worry so much about what’s going to happen next with him. It’s an energy thing. Josh and I have been doing this for so long it’s like kinetic energy; it’s not forced.”

While the band’s lyrics and stage performance promote a serious party atmosphere, one of the reasons Hall is considered “the grounder” is that he’s been sober for over a decade. I asked him what it’s like for him to be sober in the middle of the party they create through their music and performance. “It’s all about the music,” Hall shared. “When I get on stage, I might as well be drunk. I used to party, and I know what it is to get

November 27 to December 3, 2014

BY LISA MORGAN into the party mode per say, but being sober is just fine with me. I don’t judge anybody. As long as it doesn’t infect what I’m doing in music, on stage or if I’m trying to go to bed, I don’t have a problem with it. I used to party like everyone else, and still partake in a little green. People at the shows probably think without a doubt that I’m wasted, but I’m not,” he laughs. “And it wasn’t like one day I woke up and said, ‘I’m going to be sober.’

I was in a car accident when I was younger. After that, something just wasn’t right with my body.

I would party and get really sick. Something was wrong with how my body processed things. I had to take a step back. To this day, I can’t eat certain foods. I tried to party a few times, but finally, I just said, ‘This isn’t for me.’”

CVW: What was the best part of the past year for Thr3 Strykes?

Fimbres: It’s been a great 2014. After winning the Coachella Valley Music Award, Josh (Hall) and I looked at each other and said, ‘This is what we need to be doing’. I want to win another one of those awards, and I want to get them worldwide.

Of course the shows are always great - the love we get from our audience is amazing. Post CVMA, things have really started cranking for us. We’re working with our producer/engineer, TariqBeats.

He gets our vision, and we’ve never had that before. We were pretty much doing everything on our own. Better quality music and lyrics make me really happy with the direction we’re going in. Josh and I make a good team. I like to say that I’m the shampoo and he’s the conditioner. I put something out there and he’ll smooth it out.

Those are the highlights for me.”

Hall: “All the love we’ve been getting from CV Weekly, the CV Music Award and the fans has been amazing. When we first started out, we weren’t liked by a lot of people because we were different. We just stuck with it, and created our own sound. Even guys who work with us today didn’t see us as something that would stick. But we stuck with it, created a fan base, and now they’re starting to take us more seriously. And that is really rewarding. To this day, I still have that instinct of being the underdog...that hungry feeling when you feel people are putting their foot in your shoulder, trying to hold you down. All that has helped us out when it comes to people trying to get over on us or not taking us seriously.

We remember where we came from and then we remind them. But when we get the love, we are just incredibly grateful.”

I suggest that Thr3 Strykes ready themselves for the love to come in tidal waves guys. Based on what I’ve heard from the new album, and have seen in the new video for “Blood Sugar”, Thr3 Strykes has taken their song crafting to another level.

The band has released a song and video from their upcoming album, CMNCTN-BRKDWN. The video for the song, “Blood Sugar”, opens with an eerie little sound bite garden to match the

scene in the video. Then the music drops into a straightforward rock beat. The imagery is straightup inspired from a horror flick. Unlike the older Hip-hop predecessors who laid lyrics on top of more laid back R & B/funk infused beats, Thr3 Strykes displays some heavy desert rock roots that expose an absolute finesse in their rapid fire performance of prose. Well crafted, each line has you leaning in to catch the next. Easily enough, you can find yourself singing along to the hook: “Pay me in pastries, ‘cause life ain’t sweet. Sugar coated fallacies 7 days a week. (Blood sugar) So watch what you eat. It’s a cruel world baby ain’t nothing what it seems, ‘cause life’s no treat.

Maybe it would be if I lived a fantasy.”

Then things get deep: “Pay me in psychedelic mind trips, eye lids, epileptic episodes of violence, the line is divided, when sides are decided, then again pigs touching kids in their privates, church gon’ deny it, public gon’ buy it, candy coat disguise it, bag and enterprise it, a holy testimony so phony only lying, and peace sells but who made the deal and who’s buying, the weight of the world, times by pay from them pearls, make that cake baked with swirls, taste like sin laced with naw, and secrets are secrets, in the blood is where they keep it.”

“Step inside the 3rd dimension, close the door to your existence, envision a world where you were no longer existing, kill that’s the mission, kill that’s the mission, quit the bitchin’, we don’t need your opinion, and the blood will spill when it spills they’ll kill, a thousand blood suckers call it Capitol Hill.”

Not to take anything away from Blood Sugar, a great song and video in its own right, but I have to say that I believe the best is yet to come. The new songs and their fine-tuned, well produced sound are simply visionary. “Rare Earth” has a spiritual ring to it, begging the question, “How deep is your love”. It honestly depicts the delicate balance that lives between love and obsession. But my favorite so far is “Virus of the Year.” The full on rock beats and in your face, driving rock guitar anthems are reminiscent of Fatso Jetson’s “Magma”. Placed dynamically, powerfully and even melodically on top of this monster foundation of sound, are heavy hitting lyrics pumped out by two artists who, from this point forward, have earned their right to be taken very seriously.

The ideal target date for the release of the new 13 song record is February 28, 2015, when Thr3 Strykes is scheduled to play at the Whiskey A GoGo. I suggest you follow them to whatever venue they are playing and shower them with their due of love and respect and make yourself part of their success story. No matter what does or doesn’t happen for these artists in the music industry, these are the guys who will never forget where they came from and who gave them the encouragement to press on.

Follow Thr3 Strykes: facebook.com/3STRYKES

13

November 27 to December 3, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY ELENI P. AUSTIN

GARY CALAMAR

“YOU ARE WHAT YOU LISTEN TO” (SEDAN ZERO/ATLANTIC RECORDS)

CONSIDER THIS

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

14

skills, inviting luminaries like Brian Wilson and Warren Zevon to his show for in-depth conversations. As the years progressed, the show moved to a more coveted time slot, Sundays from 6pm to 8pm.

In 1998, Calamar hooked up with G. Marq Roswell as music supervisors for the film “Slums Of Beverly Hills.” They quickly followed up with “Varsity Blues.” Soon after he partnered with Thomas Golubic’ to supervise the music for HBO’s “Six Feet Under” series.

The team matched songs like Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” the Blasters’ “So Long Baby Goodbye” and k.d. lang and Jane Siberry’s beatific “Calling All Angels” to score pivotal moments for the Fisher family. The final minutes of the season finale featured Sia’s “Breathe,” it was the perfect synthesis of music and film.

Working solo, Calamar went on to supervise shows like “Weeds,” “Entourage,” “Dexter” and “True Blood.” He also somehow found time to co-write a book with Phil Gallo.

“Record Store Days: From Vinyl To Digital And Back Again” was a loving encomium to the independent record stores that have mostly become extinct.

When Iggy Pop expressed interest in appearing on a “True Blood” soundtrack, Calamar took a chance and sent him one of his own compositions. “Let’s Boot And Rally” was co-written with James Combs.

Pop loved it and recorded it as a duet with

Beth Cosentino of Best Coast. The sinewy Stooges front-man then encouraged Calamar to record his own music. Who can resist Iggy Pop? So now the five time Grammy nominated producer has released his six song EP, You Are What You Listen To. The album opens with the insistent “I Got An Idea.” Co-written with Jeff Davis of the Balancing Act, the song dates back to the late ‘80s, but it’s aged like a fine wine.

Over a robotic rhythm and clangorous instrumentation that echoes early Devo, Calamar waxes enthusiastic over his latest brainstorm. He doesn’t really offer details, but he knows “it’s a design of the times, it’s very simple and completely streamlined/ Read all about it in tomorrow’s headlines.”

Both “Giddy” and “She’s So MidCentury” are frothy confections. The former is an effervescent ode to romance. Equal parts Sunshine and Power Pop, the tune is propelled by jangly guitars, (Sgt.) Pepper-y horns and lush “la-la-la’s.” The lyrics capture the dizzy sensations of new love. “Our love can be a threat to society, but we can get off on a minor technicality/I’m crazy for you so I’ll just plead insanity tonight.”

Over ringing guitars and a tumbling back beat the latter pays homage to a ‘50s fixated femme-fatale. “Well she purrs like AnnMargret, she’s Grace Kelly cool/With her Virginia Slims cigarette, she’s breaking all the rules.”

November 27 to December 3, 2014

WITH PHIL LACOMBE

ADAM NORMAND

W

G

ary Calamar has always been passionate about music. Growing up in New York, he was the kid who hid his transistor radio under the covers. He was the teen who would visit his local record store every day after school, checking out the latest additions and breathing in the rarified atmosphere.

By the early ‘80s, Calamar had relocated to Los Angeles and began working in record stores; first at the respected Licorice Pizza chain and later managing the iconic Rhino Records in Westwood and then Moby Disc in Santa Monica.

Calamar soaked up the vibrant and disparate L.A. music scene. He even began managing local favorites, The Balancing Act. The quirky quartet released an EP and two full-length records that were critically acclaimed, but woefully unappreciated by the masses. Around this time he also started playing his own songs around town. Gigging in small clubs, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, he developed a devoted following.

In the early ‘90s, Calamar began volunteering for venerable public radio station, KCRW. The station started broadcasting from Santa Monica College in 1945. By 1969, it became Los Angeles’ first NPR affiliate.

Through the years it has offered a wide variety of cultural, talk and news programs.

It is probably best known as L.A.’s premier taste-making station. Breaking musical acts like Beck, Coldplay and Norah Jones.

“Sopranos” creator David Chase was listening to KCRW when he heard Alabama 3’s “Woke Up This Morning,” he immediately knew he had found his show’s theme song.

A couple of years after Calamar began volunteering, a time slot opened up for a show that aired overnight between Saturday and Sunday. After begging for the spot, the station acquiesced. “The Open Road With Gary Calamar” featured a rich mix of musical genres. He also honed his interview

TAT TALK

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Back in the early ‘70s, there was Schoolhouse Rock, Calamar re-jiggers the formula and brings us the Schoolhouse Blues on “Minimum Day.” The track was co-written with his daughter, Zoe, who also provides put-upon pre-teen backing vocals. Stabbing keys and a soaring guitar provide a rock solid foundation for this paean to playing hooky. “I need a minimum day...I’ve been working too much/ I’m just an innocent kid, I should be treated as such.”

Each song here is pretty close to perfect, but the EP’s centerpiece is “The Last Revolution.” Calamar manages to be clever, smart-ass and wistful with each turn of phrase.

Anchored by a bittersweet melody, it offers a pocket history of the decline of the vinyl LP. Not many songs can gracefully reference both Groucho Marx and William Shakespere, but Calamar manages to with aplomb, alluding to the “winter of my compact disc-content.” His melancholy is palpable.

“I had the Blues when I sold my Jazz and the soundtracks I heard all my life, I would’ve cried if I had no self-control/They gave me ten cents for my Billion Dollar Babies and flipped through my R&B, I know what it feels like to be selling my soul.”

The EP closes with the crunchy Garage Rock of “Back Door Man.” Growly guitars and stabbing organ fills pinball through the coruscated psychedelia. The puns come fast and furious. “You’re in or you’re out or you’re somewhere else in between/You say it’s a lock, but I know it’s only a screen.” He even takes time to name check himself! It’s a freewheeling finish to a very satisfying debut.

Gary Calamar was ably assisted in the making of this record. Along with Zoe Calamar, Nancy Gardos and Zoenda McIntosh provided backing vocals. Amy Woods manned the drums. Probyn Gregory tackles trumpet and trombone. Producer John Would plays guitar, bass keyboards and percussion and Willie Aron, (from the late, lamented Balancing Act) handles keyboards and vocals.

This EP is rich with sharp bon mots that recall pithy wordsmiths like Nick Lowe and Robyn Hitchcock. The melodies manage the neat trick of being fresh and familiar.

The only downside with You Are What You Listen To is that it’s too short! Calamar has given the listener a taste when what is required is a smorgasbord. Now that he has finally stepped into the spotlight, the time is right for a Gary Calamar box set.

here you tat: Humble Tattoo Society (Palm Desert) Why you started tattooing: I started out making home-made machines as a teenager & tattooing friends & others on my street.

I don’t remember ever thinking that this is what I’m gonna do for a living but the more I did the more I started getting positive results. This was before any kind of tattoo reality show mind you, so there was no fame or money motivation like most tattooers today, just the drive to see how far I could push my art. It was important for me at the time to feel accomplished or make me feel like I could excel at something other than getting locked up or having to appear in court, at some point I got serious about it but I feel more like tattooing has been the one thing in my life that’s always been around.

What style of tattooing do you love doing most: I enjoy tattooing very powerful images! More on a realistic based style, mixed with other influences like traditional americana, folk art, new school, fine black & grey, portraits, full color horror images, zombies you name it I’ve done it! My work is most recognizable by the skulls I make… if your into anything skull related come see me, I would love to work with you.

Who inspires you to tattoo: I grab Inspiration from so many… music & art have always played a role in the creation process, but on a local level I would have to recognize Jeff Cooper for his amazing skill/talent as a tattoo artist & owning 3 successful shops. I respect the fact he’s always humble & the nicest guy you ever wanna meet!

If you could tattoo anywhere in the world where would you go: I’ve been blessed with a skill that allows me to travel & work.

I’ve worked tattoo conventions overseas…

London, Liverpool, Evian & more recently Hawaii, but out of everywhere I’ve tattooed I’m mainly focused on bringing our valley the highest quality of tattooing possible.

Tell me your favorite tattoo story about one of your clients: More recently I was on a tattoo tour with a buddy & fellow tattoo artist Petro. We were driving across Texas for 3weeks hitting up every city possible & tattooing anyone who was interested. We get a call somewhere between Dallas &

Houston from Lil Wayne’s people asking if we could come to the studio & tattoo him & a few others…. problem was he was in LA & we were on our way to Houston. I tell Petro ‘Fuck it there’s the airport lets catch a flight’. About 4hrs later we are in the studio tattooing Wayne and others all while he’s putting the finishing touches on his latest album Carter 5; 24 hours later we are back in Houston right where we left off not skipping a beat. A few weeks pass & I’m back in the valley just in time for Coachella. I get a call from Wayne’s management again asking if I could make a house call for Lil Twist, Wayne’s protégé & his camp wanted to get tattooed.

I arrive at a gated community around 2am & tattoo until 1pm the next day. The best part about the whole thing was the house was on a golf course. Twist & I are tatted up, shirts off & tattooing outside by one of the holes. I can’t tell you how many golfers played threw.

15

November 27 to December 3, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

PET PLACE

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY JANET McAFEE

AVOIDING HOLIDAY PET HAZARDS

T

hanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are arriving in quick succession, but this time of year also sees a dramatic increase in emergency trips to the vet. Christmas trees are going up, parties are planned, and holiday lights are brightening our desert scene as we humans begin to celebrate.

Celebrations for animal lovers often include our four-legged family members. However, in the frenzy of activity, we may overlook the dangers that certain plants, foods and decorations pose to cats and dogs.

One of your dinner party guests might be tempted to give Benji a sample from his plate as the pup sweetly begs under the table. Sugar, chocolate, turkey bones, gravy, and avocados are among the many foods that can be harmful to a dog. Onions, garlic, raisins, grapes, and nuts, (particularly walnuts and macadamia nuts) are very dangerous when consumed by a dog in large quantities. If you’re hosting a large party where food is being served, be on the safe side and keep the critters in a back room, even if your visitors are animal lovers!

BILLY BOB

Meet Billy Bob, a bouncing 2-yr-old bundle of joy who would love to spend the holidays at your house…forever!

Call the Pet Rescue Center in Coachella at (760) 398-7722.

Keep that bowl of holiday candy off the coffee table or anywhere else that a pet can reach it. Chocolate in particular is very dangerous for animals. Candy and gum containing the artificial sweetener xylitol is also hazardous. Your pet can sneak a package of sugarless gum from your purse and become ill, so don’t leave your purse within his reach. One of my dogs once chewed up a $20 bill from my purse that was sitting on a low lying area, an item that also was not good for her health.

Poinsettias with their bright red flowers are the most festive holiday plant, and while they are not as toxic as we believed in the past, sampling a leaf from one can make your dog mildly ill or cause swelling and itching to the skin. Worse than poinsettias are holly, lilies and mistletoe. While a kiss under the mistletoe might add some romance to your holiday, it can cause erratic behavior and even cardiovascular collapse when ingested by your pet. Mistletoe berries that drop to the floor can also be a hazardous, so you might want to nix this plant from your list.

If you dress your pet in a cute holiday

costumes such as a Santa Suit or a pair of Reindeer antlers, make sure the outfit is not constricting, annoying to them, or unsafe.

Clothing should not constrict the animal’s movement, or impede his ability to breathe, bark or meow. A festive red bandana might be a good alternative to a tight fitting outfit.

Dr. Lillian Roberts of Country Club Animal Clinic in Palm Desert sees a dramatic influx of four-legged patients this time of year. She advises to, “avoid ornaments or decorations that are small and easy to swallow, as these can quickly lead to intestinal blockage and emergency surgery. This also includes tinsel, ribbon, and small loose bells that cats find irresistible. I once x-rayed a dog only to discover an entire glass ornament, unbroken, just sitting there in his stomach.

Surgery was needed to get the ornament out.”

Dr. Roberts offers these additional tips to keep your animals safe and healthy: (1) Unplug Christmas tree lights and other electrical decorations when you are not home. Cords are attractive chew toys for kittens and puppies, and if chewed when plugged in can be very dangerous.

(2) Make sure anything you add to the water under your tree is not poisonous. Pets WILL drink from this bowl. Flocked trees are also a bad idea..

(3) You can feed your dog turkey in

MARILYN

LUPITA

Marilyn dreams of a wonderful home with lots of catnip for the holidays!

This 4-mo-old playful Tuxedo can be adopted by contacting ForEverMeow rescue at (760) 335-6767.

This Beverly Hills Chi girl is a little super star! Come meet this 2-yr-old angel at the Coachella Valley Animal Campus, 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms.

She’s dog ID#A1141615.

(760) 343-3644

16

moderation, but don’t include the skin, bones or gravy. Mixing a high fat meal with holiday stress is a recipe for GI upset for your pet. If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for Fido!

(4) If your dog has a sensitive stomach or food allergies, don’t share your holiday meal.

(5) Make time for your pets, keeping their routine as normal as possible. Travel can be distressing for some pets. Make sure visitors don’t leave gates, doors, and windows open that allow animals to escape.

Refrain from surprising your mother-inlaw or a friend with an animal as a gift. Let people experience the joy of selecting a pet that meets their own personal preference.

Accompany them to a rescue or shelter to select a pet and pay their adoption fee. And if you are still “petless” this season, visit the Coachella Valley Animal Campus at 72-050 Pet Land Place, Thousand Palms, (760) 343-3644. View their adoptable animals at www.rcdas.org. Rescue animals bring love to your home this season and throughout the year, and some even bring you a holiday miracle.

Keep your vet’s contact information close at hand. You can contact Country Club Animal Clinic in Palm Desert at (760) 776-7555. There is only one 24-hr animal hospital in the Coachella Valley which is VCA, 46920 Jefferson just north of Highway 111, Indio (760) 342-4712. Contact the 24hour Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680.

Happy and safe holidays to you and your pets!

Jmcafee7@verizon.net

November 27 to December 3, 2014

BY RICK RIOZZA

THE NEW FRENCH CHEF IN TOWN AT CITRON

P

erhaps I need to be pinched, but it seems as though Christmas has come early this year with the arrival of Chef Patrice Martineau, the newly named the Executive Chef at the illustrious Palm Springs’ Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel that houses the celebrated retro-chic restaurant, Citron.

Although I keep catching myself humming the Eagles tune, “there’s a new kid in town—and everybody loves him”, it’s a bit difficult to include the line here for although as Chef Patrice is still a young man as far as reputable international chefs go— indeed! he was a past protégé of celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, his culinary talent and skills will no doubt swiftly prompt him into the echelon of this valley’s top chefs that include the likes of the Klins, Copleys, Bachers, Schmidts, and the like—with Chef Patrice Martineau entering as the—well, the new kid in town.

A native of the Champagne region in France, and Holder of a Masters Degree in Culinary Arts from Chambre Syndicale de l’Aube, Martineau has served as Boulud’s right-hand man at Daniel in New York City before becoming executive chef in London’s legendary Savoy Hotel, and chef de cuisine at the acclaimed Peter at the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo.

Did you catch that? Tokyo!—yeah baby. Now you may have to go back to the future on this, but one of my favorite food fusions of the past was the French-Japanese culinary craze: That was when the best of the West met the finest of the East; where the identity and that special touch & feel of Japansese exact-point cooking collided with the summa-cum-laude sauces, prep, and the all-around gustatory whirlwind of the French. Enjoying Chef Patrice’s dishes brought all of that to mind.

A few of us local media peeps recently met at the Citron to meet Chef Patrice and

to taste his fare. Although the ambiance of Citron Restaurant alone—with its Hollywood Golden Era décor—readily slides one into a pampered mood—we got even more pampered!

Like experiencing an exciting justreleased movie, the oohs and ahhs permeated the table as we pursued a tasting menu showcasing Chef’s inventive impressions of Peruvian Hamachi Ceviche, Roasted Tiger Prawns, Yuzu-Kosho Crusted Slow Baked Scottish Organic Salmon, Grilled Colorado Lamb Chops and the dessert “Oeufs à la Neige”. The visual sensation of each dish clearly bespoke the Japanese Art of Plating and each plate met with combination of the flavors, textures, and sensory profiles that was stellar. Five Stars!

A great new menu here at Citron look forward to.

And as one would expect from a French epicure, the Chef does wine! Each course we enjoyed was paired wonderfully: Veuve Cliquot added elegance and a perfect dry cleanse to the ceviche; the roasted

Tiger Prawns met a creamy and luscious Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley’s Groth Vineyards; the Whispering Angel Rosé is always a classic pairing for the Scottish Salmon; the grilled lamb chops matched the full-bodied Stag’s Leap CabSauv where the flavors of blackberry, plum, mild mint and coffee notes of the wine heightened the lamb’s already unique flavor. By the way— the Chef’s preparation of lamb is one of the best I’ve had in this town.

A great wine list by-the-glass or bottle is available also at the Citron Lounge & Bar. And everyone is encourage to call Citron for the latest information of Chef’s Tasting Menus, wine pairing meals and other upcoming culinary events. Bon Appétit!

Bienvenue à notre cher Cuisinier!

Welcome to Palm Springs Chef Patrice!

And speaking of culinary wine events, alors! For those wishing to forego the

pressures and commotions of the season, you, your friends and loved ones may desire to enjoy the warm ambiance of Citron for Thanksgiving. It’s one of the best prices in town for a complete meal including appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts: $58 adults; $29 kids under age 12.

Having Chef Patrice personally prepare a Thanksgiving meal for you sounds like the treat of the year! Some of the luscious and delectable items I already see on the menu include, the Beet-Vodka Marinated Salmon, Roasted Swordfish, Sonora Hills Roasted Turkey, and the Manjari Chocolate Hot Cake. Please check out the menu on line for some tasty reading.

And The Viceroy Palm Springs along with Chef Patrice at Citron is a real happening for the Christmas and 2015 New Year’s holidays.

Simply go online at viceroyhotelsandresorts. com/en/palmsprings for all details and menu items for the Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Day Dinner, Elegant New Year’s Eve Caviar & Beluga Vodka Citrus Menu Dinner, and, The Endless Champagne New Year’s Eve Party.

Reservations highly recommended. 760320-4117. The Viceroy Hotel, 415 S. Belardo Rd. Palm Springs CA 92262

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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Club Club Crawler Crawler Nightlife Nightlife

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

THUR NOVEMBER 27

29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Reunion w/ DJ Day Amigo Room 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Paul Elia 7-10pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 John Bolivar 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 John Stanley King 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6pm DESERT FOX; PS; 760-325-9555 Thirsty Thursdays 7pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760-992-0002 Courtney Chambers 5pm EUREKA; IW; 760-834-7700 T.B.A. 7pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 7:30pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Open Mic 9pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke w/ Roberto 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450

Country Night w/ Shotgun Wedding 8pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 Quinto Menguante 8-1am MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Jazz and Supper Club Night 7pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Closed PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Closed PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 Kal David Unplugged 8pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-8311 Martin Ross Sidebar Patio 4pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 8-12am THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Tony DiGerlando 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Rodeo Drive’s Happy Hour Cabaret 3:30-5:30pm, Stan Watkins Latin Swing 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-9pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 Michael Keeth 6-10pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Rob Martinez and Todd Ashley 7pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Bill Saitta 6pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Tropicana Nights 9pm

FRI NOVEMBER 28

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29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 The Bob Garcia Band 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Gold Star w/ DJ Paisley-Knight of Crystal Skulls 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Karaoke w/ AJ The KJ 8-12am AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Noches Azul Latin Night 8pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 T.B.A. 10pm BILLY REED’S; PS; 760-325-1946 Live Music 6-10pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR, SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-7755566 DJ PWee 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 The Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 J Patron Presents “Puro Oro Tour” 9pm DICKIE O’NEALS IRISH PUB; PS; 760-325-2600 The Hive Minds 9pm

EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 House Band 8:45pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Jump Off” DJ 9pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Long Duk Dong 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Michael D’Angelo 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live DJ 8:30pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 T.B.A. 7:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Reall Deall 9pm THE LOUNGE; AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 DJ 9pm MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Chris Houchin 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 Roadrunners 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Three Chord Justice Record Release Party 7:30pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 The Gand Band featuring Shirley King 9pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 212 Band 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-8311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm ROC’S FIREHOUSE; PD; 760-340-3222 T.B.A. 6:30pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 CV Weekly and Ming Bob Productions Present: Snot, Brain Vat and Thira 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Rock 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Demetrious and Co. TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T.B.A. 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Ron & Peggy “Heart to Heart” 6:30pm TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 T.B.A. TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE; MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-755-5391

The Rick Whitfield Band 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Trish Harley & Barney McClure Duo 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 T.B.A. 1:304:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Slim Man Solo Show 5:30pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 T.B.A. 9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Rob & jb 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Sharon Sills 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 Girl’s Night Out w/ The Men on the Hollywood Strip 9pm

SAT NOVEMBER 29 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bev & Bill 6pm 19TH HOLE; PD; 760-772-6696 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 9pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 DJ Sam James Velde 12pm, Highlife w/ DJ Day 10pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Cabaret on the Green w/ Les Michaels & Joel Baker 7-10pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Chix Mix-LAW 7pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 T.B.A. 9pm BILLY REED’S; PS; 760-325-1946 Music 6-10pm BISTRO 60 @TRILOGY; LQ; 760-501-0620 The Carmens 6pm BLUE BAR; SPOTLIGHT 29; IND; 760-775-5566 DJ PWee BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Live Music 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT CASINO; PS; 888-999-1995 DJ Michael Wright 9-1am CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm COPA NIGHTCLUB; PS; 760-866-0021 Blu Saturdays 9:30pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Live Entertainment 6:30-9:30pm DATE SHED; IND; 760-775-6699 DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke w/ DJ Scott 9pm DICKIE O’NEALS IRISH PUB; PS; 760-325-2600 Karaoke 8pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 T.B.A. 9pm THE GRILL ON MAIN; LQ; 760-777-7773 T.B.A. 8:30pm THE GROOVE LOUNGE; SPOTLIGHT 29; INDIO; 760-775-5566 DJ 8pm HACIENDA CANTINA BEACH CLUB; PS; 760778-8954 World Famous Party w/ DJ Alf Alpha 9pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Solid” Guest DJs, 11am poolside, 9pm Lobby THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Burning Bettie, Caxton Acoustic Set and a special guest 9pm HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm INDIAN WELLS RESORT HOTEL; IW; 760-3456466 Rich Bono & Poupee Boccaccio 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 T.B.A. 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 T.B.A. 6pm, Karaoke w/ Roberto 8pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night

LIT@FANTASY SPRINGS; IND; 760-345-2450 Reall Deall 9pm THE LOUNGE, AGUA CALIENTE; RM; 888-9991995 LA Blue 9pm MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760325-2323 Ron Greenip 8pm MARGARITA’S; PS; 760-778-3500 Live Music 6pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Tattooed Nanny 9pm PALM DESERT COUNTRY CLUB; PD; 760-3450222 Kal David 6:30pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 Shadow Mountain Band 5pm, The Sunday Band 8pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-228-1199 T.B.A. 9pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Project Mayhem, Mic Legg, The Discomfort, Mantis El Musico and Twerp-Roc-Ski 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext230 The Gand Band w/ Shirley King 9pm, Deluka & Habits 11:30pm RENAISSANCE PALM; PS; 760-322-6100 Art of Sax featuring Sax Man Will Donato & Eddie Reddick 7-10pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 T.B.A. 9pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-8311 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 7pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Evaro Brothers 8pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 R Buckle Road 9pm SHANGHAI RED’S @ THE FISHERMAN’S MARKET; LQ; 760-777-1601 Barry Baughn Blues 8-11pm SHELLY’S LOUNGE@TORTOISE ROCK CASINO; 29 Palms; Rojer Arnold & Bobby Furgo 9pm SIDEWINDER GRILL; DHS; 760-329-7929 Karaoke w/ Milly G 6pm SMOKIN’ BURGERS; PS; 760-883-5999 Ron James 6pm SOUL OF MEXICO; IND; 760-200-8787 Latin Music 10pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-3560 Dude Jones 6pm TACK ROOM TAVERN; IND; 760-347-9985 T.B.A. 9pm THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Darci Daniels 6:30pm TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 T.B.A. 9pm TRILUSSA ITALIAN RISTORANTE; PS; 760328-2300 Julius & Sylvia Music Duo 6-10pm VIBE, MORONGO CASINO; CAB; 951-7555391 DJ Hektik 10pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Pat Rizzo & All That Jazz Band 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Rob & JB 1:30-4:30pm, Nite Fixx 9-2am, DJ Anwaar Hines 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 8pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Salsa Night, Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Scott Carter 7:30pm

November 27 to December 3, 2014

340 N PALM CANYON DR. PALM SPRINGS, CA 92262

OPEN MONDAY THRU SATURDAY 4PM - 2AM SUNDAY 6PM - 2AM

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

THE PAMPERED PALATE

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

BY RAYMOND BILL

LIGHT- A PS UNDERGROUND EVENT

Q

uite often, I am asked, “What is your favorite restaurant”?

Though I have many favorite restaurants throughout the valley, the best dining experiences I have had, have not been held at traditional dining venues.

I have often bragged about my dining adventures with PS Underground but their recent event, “Light” simply blew me away!

Every time I attend one of their events, I am more impressed than before, and to be honest, I’m not sure how they are going to top this one.

If you are one of the few that have not heard of this underground supper club, allow me to introduce you to the concept.

Events are posted on their website and Facebook page where one can reserve a seat. Space is limited, often times between 15 and 20 guests. No details are provided until the evening prior, and all dietary restrictions are to be declared at the time of reservation online. Once the location and instructions are announced, the fun begins.

Until then, it is a complete mystery. It is

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00 8

& FO R K

K

R

CO

certain to be unlike anything you have ever experienced before.

My guest and I attended, “Light” this past weekend and I still get chills recalling the evening. We arrived promptly for a reception and enjoyed a glass of champagne and passed hors d’oeuvres while we mingled with other guests. The anticipation filled the air and we had no idea what to expect.

When it was time to begin, we were ushered to a separate room. Before us was a single dining table for the entire group,

immaculate and white. Atop the long community table were two lovely young women, dressed in white, lying across the center. As we were seated, they seemed to “awaken” and provide us with our napkins.

They continued to provide service to the guests, pouring wine and even feeding us grapes. The music was calming and seemed to match the ambiance at every course of the meal. The elegance of the scene was soothing and tranquil.

Though the room was bright and mostly white, little did we know that throughout the evening, vivid lights and patterns would be displayed across our table and place settings, illuminating each course while providing an artistic captivating fanfare.

Between courses were surprises that would engage the guests and leave us in awe.

We were entertained with smooth jazz from a brilliant saxophonist and dazzled by the vocals of a superb tenor, belting out a little opera for us. It was truly, “dinner and a show” as usual. Our ladies in white contributed to the festivities with dancing and blowing bubbles. They kept the magic alive from start to finish.

The talent did not stop with service and

EST. 2

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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MOVIE REVIEWS WITH ROBIN E. SIMMONS

W

A SMALL FEAST OF FILMS

hat’s your favorite Thanksgiving movie? Go ahead, take your time. For most people, nothing immediately comes to mind. Okay, maybe PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES. Wonder why that is.

With all the movies that use a holiday as a theme or title (most of them horror), you’d think there’d be more Thanksgiving movies since families are together and in a stupor after the big holiday meal. Is there a better time to watch a fun film with your relatives?

In our family, the Thanksgiving spirit lasts as long as the leftovers, so there’s ample time to catch up or see again these favorites in the ensuing week.

THE ICE STORM

SCREENERS No.140

winds up becoming the turkey “pardoned“ by the President, he also gains access to a time machine (yes, you read that right) and returns to the first Thanksgiving to get turkeys off the menu forever. 20th Century Fox. Blu-ray ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES

DUTCH It’s Thanksgiving 1973 in New Canaan, Connecticut, where a well-off family tries to square their lives with the controversial political and social issues of the era. There’s the requisite drugs, alcohol and sex and then, boom, they find themselves stuck in a freak ice storm. Uh-oh. The fine cast includes Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire and Christina Ricci.

A polar vortex movie likely repeated many times this year! Criterion. Blu-ray.

FREE BIRDS

Ed O’Neill is Dutch, an ordinary guy who volunteers to bring his girlfriend’s (JoBeth Williams) 13-year-old boy (Ethan Embry) home from boarding school for Thanksgiving. Too bad the kid’s a snotnosed brat who makes the road trip a hellish journey. Very funny. Written and produced (but not directed) by John Hughes. Starz/ Anchor Bay. Blu-ray.

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Celebrate Thanksgiving from Reggie the turkey’s perspective as he tries to warn other gobblers about the deadly dangers of the holiday. Luckily for Reg, he not only

When siblings Wednesday and Pugsley Addams’ shenanigans to get rid of the new baby in the family land them at a sleepover camp, they’re forced to take part in a play about the first Thanksgiving. The results aren’t what you might expect. They are worse. Perfectly cast includes Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, Carol Kane and a memorable Christina Ricci. Paramount. Blu-ray.

There are a few other films like PIECES OF APRIL, HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, TADPOLE, SCENT OF A WOMAN and HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, that reference Thanksgiving, but for me the most beautiful of all is a documentary about adopting and living with wild turkeys.

MY LIFE AS A TURKEY A few days ago, a vegetarian friend asked if I was going to participate in the “turkey holocaust”? She went on to lament the sad fate of about 50 million artificially inseminated birds that will grace our Thanksgiving tables.

Biologist Joe Hutto became a surrogate mother to 13 endangered wild turkeys (these are not the birds on our Thanksgiving tables).

For over a year, Hutto recorded and interacted with his brood from the first bonding moment of their hatching to their final return to the wild woods of north Florida.

“I’ve never kept better company,” he reflects. “We had similar interests: snakes and birds and interesting artifacts. That’s kind of what I’m all about.”

Filled with wise, homespun observations -- and some heartbreak -- the film follows a recreation of Hutto’s life after he cares for and hatches a batch of wild turkey eggs left on his doorstep by a farmer neighbor.

The fowl adoption becomes a “personal, emotional ride, not just a science experiment.” Hutto grieves when predators catch him off guard and take his young chicks. He appears emotionally moved when his favorite, “Sweat Pea,” demands physical affection. “I just fell head over heels in love,” says a smitten Hutto. And we understand why.

Through Hutto’s eyes, we see smart, curious, inquisitive birds that behave in ways that surprise on many levels. For instance, the birds seem to have an awareness wired into the birdbrains about dangerous predators like rattlesnakes and hawks. Hutto was able to decipher dozens of their sounds and eventually was able to replicate their calls--even the subtle variations of meaning.

The big revelation for me is that some of the turkey behavior suggests emotions, intelligence and curiosity that are apart and above their basic survival instincts.

This richly rewarding BBC documentary drama will trigger moments of wonder and awe in this most unexpected of subjects as a man becomes a turkey mum and sees the world through new eyes. PBS/Nature. Blu-ray. robinesimmons@aol.com

BOOK REVIEW

BEING FRANK A

mericans are polite people. We are a country of citizens who mostly prefer to avoid confrontation and difficult emotional situations.

But underneath lurks cynicism, hostility and regret. In Richard Ford’s novel Let Me Be Frank With You (Ecco, 256 pages), one man comes to terms with life and death.

Frank Bascombe is 68. He is retired and lives with Sally, his second wife, in Haddam, New Jersey.

Hurricane Sandy has just devastated the Jersey Coast and destroyed a house he once owned. The current owner wants Frank to come see what’s left. Frank reluctantly agrees.

When he arrives, Frank sees his former neighborhood wiped-out. The beautiful home he once lived in is a block away from its foundation, on its side and roofless. A retired realtor, Frank is relieved he sold the property when he did. He struggles to be supportive with the man who lost his home.

After all, he hardly knows the man. His best advice is to take what he can get and walk away.

Although the Storm of the Century did not impact his home in Haddam, it has affected his life. Sally leaves everyday to counsel storm victims. She will soon be

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

BY HEIDI SIMMONS

LET ME BE FRANK WITH YOU

BY RICHARD FORD FICTION certified as a grief counselor and he admires her for helping those in need.

Frank too volunteers. Once a week he reads to the blind and greets returning soldiers. He is in the process of streamlining his life. Many of his friends have died and he is not interested in cultivating new friendships. There is not enough time. His wife, two adult kids and ex is all he has the energy for. Frank is also working on decommissioning useless words.

One day a woman stops by his home.

Decades ago she lived in the house and wants to see the inside. Displace by the

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hurricane, she’s now in the area. Frank thinks the woman is sincere and he doesn’t want to be rude, so he agrees. While in the house, she tells Frank her family’s story and the tragedy that took place in the home. He politely listens to the horror that impacted the woman’s entire life. He does his best to say something meaningful before he escorts her out.

As the months unfold after the storm, Frank visits Ann, his ex-wife in her luxury care facility. She is dying slowly of Parkinson’s disease. Frank resorts to his “Default Self.” It is the person others understand him to be –honest and charming. Default Frank is someone who streamlines his utterances and portrays the past and future optimistically. But even in default mode his feels awkward and uncomfortable with his ex. They lost a young child to disease.

When he looks around her apartment there are no pictures of their children.

When he gets home, Sally asks Frank if he’s all right. She thinks Frank is unaware that he is suffering from grief.

An old friend left a message for Frank. He’s dying of cancer and wants to see him. Ignoring the call for days, Frank hopes it’s too late.

After all they were not good friends, barely acquaintances. When the dying buddy asks him to come, Frank can’t say no.

On Christmas Eve day, Frank sees the dying man. He hardly recognizes him.

Again, he is uncomfortable and doesn’t have anything to say about his current condition other than it’s part of life. He can only do his best “default self.”

As Frank leaves, he recognizes Ezekiel who is delivering heating oil. Years ago, he was a friend of Frank’s son. Ezekiel greets Frank sincerely. He shares with Frank that he and his wife will be cooking Christmas for those who lost their homes in Super Storm Sandy. Then he asks Frank about his son.

Only he uses the dead child’s name instead

of his living son. Frank does not correct him and answers him with a polite “He’s fine.” They shake hands and part ways.

Frank appreciates Ezekiel’s kindness and thoughtfulness and for the first time ever is moved to tears.

Let Me Be Frank With You is a brilliantly crafted portrait of a man who has kept his emotions controlled and suppressed. Frank Bascombe has life figured out. He has worked hard, been a good husband, father and friend. People like and respect him.

But underneath every polite comment and responsible act, there is a truth and understanding that can never be said out loud. Frank is a humorist finding witty ways to think about himself and human nature.

His observations of the world are pinpoint accurate, but they only run in his head.

They are things he dare not share, not even with his wife.

Frank may not see himself as a good man, but others do. Sometimes his inner voice is so complex and critical that he rather be alone with his thoughts.

Let Me Be Frank With You is a cleaver tale. Author Ford constructs Frank’s story in a first person, present tense narrative that reveals his private thoughts and secrets. Frank is a good person, so there is nothing horrible to confess. Except that Frank has not been frank. He has not been honest with himself or others; that is, until this book. Perhaps for the first time, Frank is being real. It is the act of sharing the traumatic events and emotional encounters that frees him to finally feel and grieve.

Frank Bascombe has lived a full, albeit fictional, life in three other novels by Ford.

But it’s not necessary to read those to appreciate Frank’s insights and renewed appreciation for life.

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November 27 to December 3, 2014 continued from page 19 WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Stanley Butler Trio 6:30pm ZELDA’S; PS; 760-325-2375 DJs 9pm

SUN NOVEMBER 30 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bob & Allison 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Intoxica Radio Live w/ Howie Pyro 10pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 The Judy Show 7:30pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Steve Madaio 6-10pm CASCADE LOUNGE, SPA RESORT; PS; 888999-1995 Nash with Quinto Menguante 9pm DHS SPA LOUNGE; DHS; 760-329-6787 Karaoke 9pm EL MEXICALI CAFÉ 2; IND; 760-342-2333 Cesar Daniel Lopez on the harp 6-9pm HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Fusion” Pool Party 11am poolside, Mix 100.5 Acoustic Palooza 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Open Jam 6pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-3252794 Palm Springs Sound Company,in the afternoon,Hot Rox,in the night MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 Sunday Jam 4-8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7:30pm THE NEW YORK COMPANY RESTAURANT; PS; 760-778-7789 Lili Rose 7pm PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Longest Running Jam Session in the valley. Hosted by JB, Sign up 6pm PAPPY & HARRIET’S; PT; 760-365-5956 The Sunday Band 7pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND

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COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 The Jam Session 5-9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 The Judy Show 5:30pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-4080 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 6pm, Jade & Gino Sidebar Patio 7pm, Stoney “B” Blues Band Sidebar Lounge 10pm SAMMY G’s; PS; 760-320-8041 Eddie Gee 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Smooth Brothers THREE SIXTY NORTH; PS; 760-327-1773 Michael Bolivar 6:30pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Jazz Time Band 2-5pm, John Stanley King 6-9pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Scott Carter 1:30-4:30pm, Rob & JB 4:30-9pm, DJ Idol Eyez 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony DiJerlando 6pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Line Dancing w/ Tina 5:30-9pm THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Michael Keeth & Martin Barrera 7pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 The Smooth Brothers 5:30pm

MON DECEMBER 1 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Bonny Jean 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 7pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 Desert Jam Session 2 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-341-

3560 T.B.A. 6pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Michael James & 3sum 9-2am VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Tony Grandberry 6:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Trish Hatley & Barney McClure 6pm

TUE DECEMBER 2 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Paul & Jo 6pm ACE HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9900 Ace Karaoke with Kiesha 9pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Mikole Karr’s Jazz Quartet 6pm AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Bella da Ball Dinner Revue w/ guest performers 7:30pm BAR; PS; 760-537-7337 Vinyl Sessions 8pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 Stanley Butler Trio 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm CORK TREE; PD; 760-779-0123 Michael Keeth 6-9pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760-992-0002 Jesse Sweitzer 5pm FIRESIDE LOUNGE; PS; 760-327-1700 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Karaoke hosted

by Phillip Moore 9pm INDIAN CANYONS GOLF RESORT; PS; 760833-8700 DJ Randy Johnson 6pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Ted Quinn’s Open Mic Reality Show Jam 8pm KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Dana Larson 6:30pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Palm Springs Sound Company NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Tim Burleson

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com 7:45 PALM CANYON ROADHOUSE; PS; 760-3274080 Acoustic & Electric Guitar Challenge sign up at 7pm, Show at 8pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760327-1161ext.230 The David Ring Duo 6:30pm RED BARN; PD; 760-346-0191 Open Mic 8pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-4080 Martin Ross Starlite Lounge 6pm SCHMIDY’S; PD; 760-837-3800 Marty Lloyd ( Freddy Jones Band ) and Scott “Kooze” ( Gin Blossoms ) 6-8pm Open Mic 8pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Demetrious and Co. VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Carolyn Martinez Trio 6-9pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 Live entertainment VUE GRILLE & BAR; IW; 760-834-3800 Chris Lomeli 6pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 John Bolivar & Barney McClure 6pm

WED DECEMBER 3 29 PALMS INN; 29 Palms; 760-367-3505 Dan Horn 6pm AJ’S ON THE GREEN; C.C.; 760-202-1111 Mikole Carr AZUL; PS; 760-325-5533 Paula Prince 7pm BLUEMBER; RM; 760-862-4581 T.B.A. 6-10pm CASTELLI’S; PD; 760-773-3365 Patrick Tuzzolino 6pm ESCENA LOUNGE & GRILL; PS; 760-992-0002 Jesse Sweitzer 5pm HAMILTON’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL; LQ; 760698-8303 Karaoke w/ T-Bone 8:30-12:30am HARD ROCK HOTEL; PS; 760-325-9676 “Shine” Karaoke 7pm THE HOOD; PD; 760-636-5220 Open Mic 8pm

November 27 to December 3, 2014

HUNTER’S; PS; 760-323-0700 Live VJ 9pm JOSHUA TREE SALOON; JT; 760-366-2250 Live Music KOKOPELLI’S; YV; 760-228-2589 Karaoke w/ Roberto 7pm LAS CASUELAS TERRAZA; PS; 760-325-2794 Hot Rox MELVYN’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE; PS; 760-325-2323 “Sing Jam” w/ Michael Healy 8pm NEIL’S LOUNGE; IND; 760-347-1522 Golden Era Karaoke 4-7pm, Karaoke 8pm-1:15am THE NEST; PD; 760-346-2314 Kevin Henry 6-8pm Tim Burleson 8pm NYPD; PS; 760-778-6973 Live DJ 9pm PJ’S SPORTS LOUNGE; YV; 760-288-1199 Karaoke w/ KJ Ginger 8pm PLAN B LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND COCKTAILS; TP; 760-343-2115 Red’s Rockstar Karaoke 9pm PURPLE ROOM@CLUB TRINIDAD; PS; 760-327-1161ext.230 The Michael Holmes Trio 6pm RIVIERA RESORT & SPA; PS; 760-327-4080 Martin Ross, Starlite Lounge 5pm, Open Mic w/ Esjay Jones, Sidebar 7pm SULLIVAN’S STEAKHOUSE; PD; 760-3413560 Straight Ahead Jazz TILTED KILT; PD; 760-773-5458 Tilted Kilt’s Open Mic Competition hosted by Morgan James 8pm VICKY’S OF SANTA FE; IW; 760-345-9770 Lizann Warner 6:30-10pm VILLAGE PUB; PS; 760-323-3265 DJ Khodi Rayne 4:30-2am, Nite Fixx 9-2am WESTIN MISSION HILLS; RM; 760-328-5955 T.B.A. 7-10pm WILLIE BOYS; MV; 760-363-3343 Karaoke THE WINE BAR BISTRO; LQ; 760-564-8744 Chris Houchin 7:30pm WOODY’S BURGER; PS; 760-230-0188 Linda Peterson 6pm

California Woman 411 with your host Dee Jae Cox

S and G

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

760-404-6325 ‘Talking to women who lead and inspire’ Saturday’s from 10 – 11 a.m.

KPTR 1450 AM Palm Springs, CA California

CA-WMN-411

(760) 340-2840 www.triabike.com

www.CaliforniaWoman411.com

Produced by The Los Angeles Women's Theatre Project:

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Open Daily 10 am - 6 pm Sunday 12 - 5pm 44841 San Pablo (West Side of Street), Palm Desert, CA 92260

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

THE PALM SPRINGS LOCAL

BY DENISE ORTUNO NEIL

PALM DESERT AIRPARK/DESERT AIR HOTEL

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heard about a long time ago. That there was actually an airport in Rancho Mirage at one point. Now, I knew about our major airport in Palm Springs (obviously), the more intimate private jet airport in Bermuda Dunes, and even the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal. But Rancho Mirage? Well, it is true. There once was an airport in what we now know as Rancho Mirage, but back then it was part of Palm Desert, it was the Palm Desert Airpark and Desert Air Hotel.

It’s strange to look at maps of the Palm Desert area back in the 1940’s. It was so very expansive…plenty of room for an airport.

I’m sure that’s what well known Los Angeles architect Hank Gogerty thought when he developed the property in 1945.

He bought 320 acres to put an airstrip close to his ranch so he could fly his plane in and out of the area as he lived in Glendale…makes sense. It’s kind of like needing a driveway for your car, just way more expensive.

The airpark gained popularity, as those of wealth who owned planes would utilize it frequently. Gogerty went one step further with his vision of the airpark. He purchased surplus Army barracks, fancied them up, and turned them into accommodations for those who flew into the airpark. And so the Desert Air Hotel opened in 1951.

The tag line for the hotel was “Fly In! Drive In!! The Desert Air Hotel”. The hotel was complete with a restaurant and bar, and even a swimming pool.

The Desert Air Hotel was a hot spot, catering to the affluent who would visit the desert area.

Celebrities which included Jimmy Stewart, Sophia Loren, Gene Autry and Howard Hughes often flew into the Desert Air Hotel. Even Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon traveled through the airport.

Although the hotel would close during the sweltering summer months, the airpark would remain open. Part of the runway, which had been expanded when the hotel opened, was used as a polo field when the occasion would arise.

The Desert Air Hotel had a lengthy run… closing in 1968. Gogerty sold the property to a group of investors who intended to expand the property into the Desert Air Country Club. The group built a series of condominiums and even a club house, but the project never really took off, and the plans were grounded (couldn’t resist the airport puns).

The property was then sold, torn down, and part of it is said to be Eisenhower Medical Center. But most of it, where the hotel actually stood, is now the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa. It is amazing how the desert has grown, but has also subtracted in a way. There is no longer a mid-valley airport for those with a plane to fly in and out of. I guess they have to just settle for the airports that still exist on the edges of our valley.

At least Gogerty would still be happy that the land that he originally developed for his hotel is still being enjoyed by visitors to our gorgeous desert. Thanks for your vision Hank, let’s hope the Coachella Valley keeps flying high!

For more information visit the Palm Desert Historical Society www.hspd.org

THE PAMPERED PALATE continued from page 20

entertainment. The meal I received was truly remarkable, of the highest quality available. We received six gourmet courses, masterfully plated and presented. Our first course was an Heirloom Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad with fresh herbs and a touch of Saguaro Cactus Vinegar and Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt, garnished with a tomato powder.

The tomatoes and herbs came straight from the local garden of the chefs and owners, Michael and David. We followed this dish with a Roasted Peach Soup with Applewood Smoked Bacon and crispy fried Arugula.

The sweet and savory puree was addicting!

After our starters, we received a Slow Baked delicate fillet of Corvina. The fish was

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served over Rutabaga and Turnip puree, finished with Lemon Beurre Blanc, accented with a Squid Ink Beurre Blanc. Before our main course would arrive, we cleansed our palates with some fresh locally grown fruit including citrus and kiwi, contrasted by mild pink peppercorns. It was a surprisingly intriguing pairing! Our main dish was Seared Cervena Venison over wild rice pilaf with roasted vegetables. The venison was tender and seasoned to perfection, completed with a sweet Cumberland Sauce.

I would say that I could not believe the magnificence of the meal served to us, but I have dined with PS Underground several times and the quality is consistently top

LOCAL BUSINESS

MY LITTLE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE

L

ast week, My Little Flower Shop owners Gregory Goodman and Alan Kelly expanded their business with the addition of My Little Bridal Boutique.

Located at 865 N. Palm Canyon in Palm Springs, My Little Bridal Boutique will offer bridal gowns from designers like Intuzuri, Maggie Sottero, Justin Alexander, Love Marley and Allure to name just a few. They will also have a full line of rental services for event gowns, prom gowns and men’s tuxedoes.

Goodman and his husband, Kelly, started My Little Flower Shop in 2000 upon relocating to the Palm Springs area. Their design team boasts more than fifty years of experience on one-of-a-kind, high profile events like the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Presidential Inauguration as well as Inaugural Balls. It is no wonder that My Little Flower Shop quickly rose to become the premiere floral and design studio in the Palm Springs area.

“We are amazed how Palm Springs has become a destination wedding mecca. We have watched our floral services double from 300 events in previous years to over 600 events in the last year alone,” states Goodman. Kelly attributes their success to the hyper-focus that they make on each client’s wants and needs.

“We really focus on customer service. Each customers is unique and their celebration needs to reflect who they are and the message that they want to send. We are here to listen and to make their vision a reality,” shares Kelly.

Gregory Goodman grew up a family that had a large floral business in Ohio. As such, he feels that event artistry is in his blood. Alan

notch! The dessert was constructed in an assembly fashion at the table before us. A smooth Tangerine Mousse with crushed, roasted pistachios and candied berries. This production was quite the finale to a show I will not soon forget. When one attends a PS Underground dinner or brunch, he or she is certain to leave with new friends and a great story to share.

If you have been waiting for the best time to see what everyone is talking about, visit www.psunderground.com and reserve today. With the holidays upon us, gift certificates are available and they are better than any restaurant gift certificate in the entire valley. Period. Like them on Facebook to learn of upcoming and past events.

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY ANGELA JANUS

Kelly, a military veteran, learned floral design from his best friend and husband, Goodman.

In 2010, the couple created Wedding Warriors, Riverside County’s top networking group for wedding, special event and hospitality professionals. The goal of the group is to promote the Coachella Valley as a destination place for high-end weddings, private parties and corporate events. The group also provides customers with a network of resources and one-stop access to the Coachella Valley’s wedding and event vendors.

The couple donates a percentage of income from every wedding to a charity of the bride’s choosing. Some of the charities that they have worked with over the years include the Palm Springs Art Museum, Desert AIDS, FIND Food Bank and Martha’s Village.

Goodman and Kelly take pride in the unique and personal moments that they have created since opening My Little Flower Shop in 2000. Whether it has been for a wedding, birthday celebration, shower, anniversary party, holiday party or some other special event, Goodman and Kelly are proud of the special moments that they have helped to fulfill.

“By adding My Little Bridal Boutique to our services offered, we are one step closer to making the dream of creating the best event ever for our customers a reality,” says Goodman.

For more information, call 760-778-7111 Or visit mylittleflowershop.com mylittlebridalboutique.com weddingwarriors.com

HADDON LIBBY:IT’S ALL LOCAL

November 27 to December 3, 2014

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: BUY LOCAL

I

f you could, would you help create more local jobs and improve our local economy?

Guess what? You can by simply shopping at local businesses instead of national chain businesses.

The reasoning behind this is fairly straight forward. Local businesses source more product locally. The highest paid employees - namely owners and key management live locally. Local businesses typically give more to local charities as a percentage of their income. Local businesses typically pay more to their employees than their national competitors.

What would happen if each one of us spent $20 more each week at local businesses instead of national businesses?

Given that the Coachella Valley has approximately 350,000 year-round

residents, we would end up spending an additional $364 million at local businesses.

Given that local businesses spend, on average, three times more locally than their national competitors, this would translate into $109 million more circulating throughout the Coachella Valley. This $109 million would then be spent at other businesses creating even more economic stimulus for our region.

With more money in the local economy, businesses would hire more people.

Lower unemployment and more people employed would result in higher real estate prices. Those higher real estate prices would translate into even more economic prosperity for all in the region. All of this would happen because, for example, you went to a local restaurant instead of a national chain. Your simple act of shopping locally would serve to create economic stimulus that creates an upward spiral of economic opportunities for you and your neighbors.

Conversely, spending your money at the national or online stores suck money out of our economy weakening the overall economic condition of the Coachella Valley.

Which businesses have the greatest positive impact on our economy? Businesses

that produce whatever they make from local materials made by local people and exported to other places. The reason for this is because every sale improves the local economy at the maximum amount possible as virtually nothing had to be purchased from somewhere else. A good example of this in the Coachella Valley would be the growing of fruits and vegetables by local farmers.

By contrast, when you purchase something made somewhere else and sold to you by people who work and live somewhere else, all of the money that you spent leaves the local economy and goes to those people and businesses in other places.

The best example of this would be when you purchase something online where the only local involvement is the delivery driver who is employed by a national delivery service.

In this case, your purchase makes the region

poorer.

When you go to a big box store like Walmart, only 15 cents of every dollar that you spend stays locally. The remaining 85 cents is split between the creators of those products (for example, China), executives of the company who reside somewhere else and their shareholders. Making that purchase even worse is that large companies like Walmart put many local merchants out of business. While a Walmart store will create new jobs for the local economy, those jobs are lowing paying jobs than the local jobs that were lost. Additionally, the American taxpayer has to dole out financial support of nearly $1,000 per Walmart employee or $1.3 billion annually as so many of their employees require financial assistance by state and federal agencies.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is dubbed Small Business Saturday. Wedged between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this shopping day began gaining widespread recognition when American Express added this promotion of consumerism to their advertising campaigns in 2010.

Help create jobs and improve the Coachella Valley economy by making every day a Buy Local Day.

DALE GRIBOW ON THE LAW

DO YOU WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU ARE ARRESTED FOR A DUI?

I

f you are like most people, you wonder what happens if you or a friend is arrested for drunk driving? A Driving under the Influence (DUI) commonly referred to as a Drunk Driving is a criminal offense that involves two separate legal proceedings: the court trial and the DMV hearing. Last week we discussed DMV. Of course it goes without saying that you do not have to be drunk. You merely have to be Impaired or Buzzed and that happens if your blood alcohol level is .08 or higher.

It is important to be aware of the many parts of your proceedings starting with the Booking and Custody: Your driver’s license will be confiscated and you will be taken to the police station where you will be offered another chemical test. You will be fingerprinted and photographed...locally at the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station and possibly taken to Banning.

You may be released on your own recognizance (OR) or you may have to post bail.

These are the different stages: Schedule a DMV Hearing: One of the first things you should do after you are released from custody is to schedule your DMV hearing or better yet hire an attorney to do so. You only have 10 days from the date of your arrest to make your appointment, which is your only opportunity to challenge the suspension of your license.

Retain an Attorney: The laws and proceedings for a drunk driving arrest can be

complex, but the assistance of an experienced attorney will provide your case with the best chance to achieve a successful verdict. Your lawyer can thoroughly examine your charges and the circumstances that led to your arrest to determine if your rights were violated in any way and build a powerful defense against the prosecution’s charges.

DMV Hearing: At your DMV hearing, you have the opportunity to present evidence of your own and subpoena witnesses, including the arresting officer. Your attorney can advocate for your license and driving privileges on your behalf, and the DMV will then rule on whether or not the officer had reasonable cause to take your license. In most cases the hearing officer who is both the prosecutor and judge, will rule against you. Though normally your lawyer will not have you testify this is a proceeding where your attorney can get an idea of how the witnesses against you will testify.

Arraignment: Your arraignment is the first court hearing and is when you are formally charged with driving under the influence. It is at this hearing that you will enter your plea of guilty or not guilty as the Indio court does not accept a no contest plea. It is the stage when you decide whether you will accept the charges or fight the allegations brought against you. We ALWAYS plead not guilty. If you insist on pleading guilty at this stage you probably do not need a lawyer...but that would be a

mistake. By pleading guilty, your sentence will be immediately imposed by the judge. If you plead not guilty, the judge will set a future court for a settlement conference and later your case will be tried by a jury and judge if a plea cannot be worked out.

Plea Bargains and Pretrial Motions: After the arraignment your attorney can discuss the case with the District Attorney and possibly negotiate a plea bargain that is beneficial for you. If a plea bargain is not reached, your lawyer can file motions to suppress evidence. At the suppression hearing, you can fight to have certain parts or all of the prosecution’s evidence thrown out if your rights were violated.

Trial: Your case will be tried by a judge and jury, and the prosecution and your lawyer will present evidence, their respective arguments, and cross-examine any witnesses. The information learned at the DMV hearing is essential for a positive result at this proceeding.

The jury will then decide whether or not you are guilty of driving under the influence.

Sentencing: The court will impose your sentence after reaching a plea bargain or after you are convicted. The penalties will differ based on the circumstances of your case, but could include fines, jail time, community service, and alcohol education. In the Indio Court custody is usually a condition of a plea. However you and your lawyer can work out trading the custody for home arrest with an ankle bracelet.

Most new clients ask “you mean I could go to jail for a first offense DUI? I explain “Yes, in the Indio Court you will receive a period of time in Jail as part of your sentencing”! Most DA’s will demand 10 days as a start on a first offense arrest with a low blood alcohol reading.

The bottom line is DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE, CALL A TAXI……IT IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN HIRING ME! Dale Gribow has been selected every year as a “TOP LAWYER” by Palm Springs LIFE, and is also AVVO PEER rated SUPERB by fellow attorneys. Gribow has been named Man of the Year 7 times by both The City of Hope and the City of Palm Desert.

For more than 30 years, Dale Gribow Attorney at Law has been committed to protecting client’s civil and constitutional rights.

Regardless of whether the matter concerns a Serious Accident, DUI, Business, Real Estate or Estate Planning issue every case is diligently handled with the utmost of respect and care.

The Gribow firm offers clients decades of experience and success, thus making Gribow the attorney of choice for thousands of clients.

If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow Attorney at Law at his NEW number 760 837 7500 and or his new email: dale@dalegribowlaw.com

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

SAFETY TIPS

BY FIRE CHIEF SAM DIGIOVANNA

BACK IN BLACK, GRAB THE SACK!

P

eople trampling over each other for cheap goods merely hours after celebrating what they are already thankful for. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when holiday gift buying begins. It’s more like Hell if you’re in retail. Unfortunately, Black Friday is a day when many shoppers become victims of crimes and injuries says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.”

Be alert of people and surroundings.

Other motorist and pedestrians will be distracted. Park near lighted areas. Keep

your purse close at all times. Keep wallets in your front pocket. Carrying too many bags is dangerous. If possible, leave children at home. If you must bring a child, it is important to hold onto small children to avoid separation. Know where fire/ emergency exits are in stores and malls.

If you’re sick, do us “all” a favor and stay home! Bring hand sanitizers to help combat germs. Put away the cell phone and be considerate of others. “Most importantly, be patient reminds Chief DiGiovanna…”

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

SHAREKITCHEN

TIS’ THE SEASON TO START A BUSINESS

S

tart Your New Food Business in 2015 with ShareKitchen and the CVWBC Interested in turning your favorite family recipes into a business? Love to throw parties and thinking about catering?

Whatever your business idea, ShareKitchen and the Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center are here to help you.

Take a look inside ShareKitchen Cathedral City at our monthly information workshop on Monday, December 8th from 6:00p – 7:30p.

Ask everything you have ever wanted to know about starting or growing a food business and learn what steps you need to take to get your small food business off the ground in 2015.

Reserve your $15 seat for this workshop online today at: www.ShareKitchen.org Decided you’re ready to take that next step? Let Kim Scanlan and the CVWBC help you get there with their workshop “The ABC’s of Starting Your Own Business” on December 10th from 5:30p – 7:30p. This workshop is designed to help pre-venture entrepreneurs like you explore the right business entity formation, business plan development and funding opportunities. Located at the CVWBC offices: 77-806 Flora Road Suite A, Palm Desert - RSVP for this FREE Workshop online: www.cvwbc.org

Share Some Holiday Cheer It’s a PARTY! Come celebrate the holidays at ShareKitchen with the Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center on December 11th from 5:30p – 7:30p. Join us for a celebration of women in business! Spend time with some of our favorite success stories and one of our most beloved and motivational speakers, Debbie Frazer, in the cozy confines of ShareKitchen, enjoying hors d’oeuvres, sparkling conversation, and the warmth of an evening of shared triumphs. Let’s explore what motivates women to success, what helps them to achieve it and what keeps them on top once they attain it. Be educated, motivated and inspired – but make those connections, too; that’s what networking is all about! This year’s holiday reception will feature delectable delights by ShareKitchen’s own Que Mami Organics, Love is a Way of Life, CV BBQ and more. RSVP Required – $15 online registration: www.cvwbc.org or 760345-9200

SPORTS SCENE THANKFUL WE HAVE SPORTS

Y

es, Captain Obvious, I am a woman. But good grief, I can’t stand Hollywood stupidity, gossip, rumors, endless shoe shopping, tabloid magazines or sitting in a chair getting a mani-pedi.

I love sports. And I’m THANKFUL that I love sports because it’s the greatest entertainment known to mankind (womankind also).

And so, I offer you a feast of fantastic reasons to be thankful you love sports. And if you only sorta like sports the way you like your in-laws during the holidays, these could be the reasons you SHOULD love sports.

The underdog wins. For real. The Oakland Raiders, a team that hadn’t won a game all season long (0-10), stormed from behind, with a rookie quarterback and beat a playoff team AND division rival in the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs hadn’t allowed a single rushing touchdown all season long, yet a 6th round pick for the Raiders, Latavius Murray scored two. One of which was the longest rushing play the Chiefs had given up, ever.

That. Really. Happened.

All of it. That’s not some fanciful, imaginative script written by a hairy dude wading through Star Wars action figures

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY JULIE BUEHLER in his mom’s basement. Or, if it was, that Raiders fan can predict the future and we should hit him up for lottery numbers.

The St. Louis Rams beat the Denver Broncos in week 11, the Cleveland Browns have a quarterback that can WIN games rather than lose them in new and creatively disturbing ways, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup as the 8th seed 2 years ago, the Kansas City Royals AND San Francisco Giants were both wild card entrants who didn’t win their divisions, but managed to win their league titles.

Every year, every week, there’s someone who no one gave a chance to, doing something only they believed was possible.

You can enjoy heady strategy and analysis, or just appreciate the simple stuff.

If you were the kid excelling at calculus and chemistry and getting swirlies for wearing that pocket protector, well, you’re in luck: Sports are fascinating to statistically analyze, break down trends, predict new trends and more. AND bonus, you’re the cool kid if you can pull the perfect stat out of your arse at the perfect time to win a sports argument. Goodbye swirly, hello free round of drinks.

But, if you’re not intellectually gifted and just appreciate a 3-color box of crayons, you’re in luck! Every sport puts on a display of physical wonder that doesn’t take a

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genius to understand. And if you don’t know the rules, take a few minutes and Google the rules of your new favorite entertainment and you’ll be up to speed pretty quickly. The basics are simple, like 3 outs to each inning in baseball, 2 point-shots or 3-point shots in basketball and how cool it is to watch tackling in football.

While most of it makes perfect sense and keeps the world in balance, there’s always the purely inexplicable.

Regardless of how much you know or love about sports and regardless of how little you know or love about sports, there are certain things that MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL. And that is the best part of sports.

It’s what makes the gal in your office that picks games based on how cute the quarterback is successful in the office pool week in and week out.

It’s what makes your 5-year-old nephew better at filling out your NCAA Tourney bracket than you are.

It’s what makes March Madness entirely maddening.

It’s the infield fly rule in baseball, the prevent defense concept in football and the reason hockey players don’t have teeth.

We’ll never know all the answers and we don’t really want to know.

Sports offer us a look into the human condition in a 3-hour window. We see the

elation, the agony, the faith, the despair. We see the comradery, the loneliness, the fights and the failures.

And we watch it all with as much understanding or introspection as we’d like.

Because we also see the cheerleaders, the dunks, the strikes, the touchdowns, the hits and the hot dogs. And it’s easy to love it all equally.

So enjoy your mashed potatoes, extra gravy and Thanksgiving Day football, because you’re enjoying the greatest entertainment in the history of mankind and that is certainly something to be thankful for.

Julie Buehler hosts the Coachella Valley’s most popular sports talk radio show, “Buehler’s Day Off” every day from 3-6 on 1010 KXPS, the valley’s all sports station. She can also be seen every morning between 6-7am on KMIR sharing the coolest stories in sports. She’s an avid gym rat, slightly sarcastic and more likely to recite Steve Young’s career passing stats than American Idol winners. Tune in M-F 3-6 pst at www.team1010.com or watch “Buehler’s Day Off” on Ustream and KMIR.com for her sports reports.

BY FLINT WHEELER

MID-SEASON ALL PRO SELECTIONS

hrough Week 10, Here is my current 2014 All Pro Team: Quarterback: Andrew Luck (Colts) Luck has over 3,000 yards and 26 TDs through 9 games this season, with minimal offensive weapons and line.

Running Back: Demarco Murray (Cowboys) - Murray leads the NFL by 300 rushing yards, along with 5.0 YPC and 7 TDs. Fullback: Anthony Sherman (Chiefs) Sherman has been the most impactful fullback this season, helping the Chiefs two headed rushing attack and receiving a bit as well.

Wide Receiver: Antonio Brown (Steelers) Brown has been the most targeted WR in the NFL (103 targets) but also has 71 catches for 996 yards and 8 TDs. Wide Receiver: Randall Cobb (Packers) Cobb has been extremely efficient, with 40 catches on 55 targets, for 578 yards and 9 TDs. Tight End: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots) Gronk has both a huge impact in the passing and rushing game for NE this season, and has the 3rd most 1st downs in the NFL along with 8 TD catches.

Left Tackle: Joe Thomas (Browns) - Joe Thomas continues to be the best tackle in the league, protecting Bryan Hoyer’s blindside, allowing only 1 sack and 1 QB hit this season.

Left Guard: Jahri Evans (Saints) - Evans is one of the instrumental cogs in one of the best rushing OL’s in the NFL in terms of efficiency.

November 27 to December 3, 2014

Center: Travis Frederick (Cowboys) Frederick has created numerous opportunities for league leader Demarco Murray to put his head down and run up the middle.

Right Guard: Marshall Yanda (Ravens) Yanda has been superb in opening lanes for Justin Forsett to accelerate into the second level this season.

Right Tackle: Sebastian Volmer (Patriots) - At a weaker position, Volmer has been the best, proving the only consistent protection for Tom Brady this season.

Inside Linebacker: CJ Mosley (Ravens) - Mosley ranks third in tackles in the NFL, and has replaced Ray Lewis nicely, adding 2 Interceptions and 6 passes defensed.

Inside Linebacker: Luke Kuechly (Panthers) - Despite having much less support around him this season, Kuechly leads the league in assisted tackles and total tackles.

Outside Linebacker: Justin Houston (Chiefs) - Houston is currently on pace to break the NFL sacks record, and has already matched his total from last season (12) in 4 fewer games.

Outside Linebacker: Lavonte David (Buccaneers) - One of the few bright spots on the 1-7 Bucs, David is second in the league in tackles (88), and first in tackles for loss (14), despite having 0 sacks.

Defensive Tackle: Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers) - After signing a huge 7 year, 98 million dollar extension this season, Mccoy has

continue to dominant the interior OL, including 5 sacks.

Defensive Tackle: Aaron Donald (Rams) - In his first season, Donald has been a huge cog up the middle for STL, providing 3 sacks, and 10 Tackles for Loss on one of the best DL’s in the NFL. Defensive End: JJ Watt (Texans) - Watt continues to show why he is the best defensive lineman (or even defense overall) in football.

With an INT, 7 passes defensed, 8.5 Sacks, 3 Fumble recoveries and a receiving TD, Watt can, and will do it all.

Defensive End/Tackle: Rob Ninkovich (Patriots) - Ninkovich has been a work horse on the Patriots for years, but is having an excellent season thus far. Playing over 90% of the teams snaps, his versatility shows as he has an INT, Fumble recovery, 4 sacks and 34 tackles as he clogs up the opponents run game too.

Cornerback: Brent Grimes (Dolphins) Grimes is one of the main reasons the Dolphins have a top 5 passing defense this season. With 36 tackles, a Forced Fumble and 4 INTs Grimes has shut down the slot, and made many teams wary of his presence.

Cornerback: Richard Sherman (Seahawks) - Despite having a quiet season with only 1 INT and 4 passes defensed, Sherman has been impressive when the opposing team challenges him. He may not be as dominant as last year, but he still is amongst the top CBs in the NFL. Safety: Tyshaun Gipson (Browns) - Gipson is currently this season’s best ball hawk, with 6 INTs through 8 games. Along with that, he also

has 39 tackles including 3 for a loss.

Safety: Eric Weddle (Chargers) - Weddle is the defensive leader for San Diego, who started strong but has cold off, but not because of him.

With savy adjustments on defense, 59 tackles and 6 passes defensed, Weddle has been one of the best Safeties this season, earning his 4th straight All-Pro. Kicker: Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots) - Gostkowski currently leads the league in scoring, and has made 24 of his 25 Field Goal attempts this season, the best in the NFL at 96.0%.

Punter: Pat McAfee (Colts) - McAfee has been superb averaging a net of 44.9 Y/P including 16 inside the 20 on 37 punts and only 2 Touchbacks.

Return Man: Adam “Pacman” Jones (Bengals) - Jones leads the NFL in both Average Kick Return (32.8) and Punt Return (15.8) yards, with a total of 22 returns thus far.

Happy Holidays!

Founder of Silex Strategies L.L.C. providing sales and consulting in Insurance, Retirement, Real Estate and Taxes through A.I.G./Valic. PGA Class A Member and T.P.I. Certified Golf Trainer.

Host of “The Tilted Sports Radio Show” on Fox Sports 1270 from 3-7pm on Thursdays, Live from The Kilt. Contact at 760-409-4612 www. flintwheeler.com

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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he Color Vibe, a “VIBErantly” colorful 5k fun run company, is teaming up with F.I.N.D. Food Bank to bring the Color Vibe 5K to Coachella Valley! The 5K, full of vivid colors, music, and tons of fun on Saturday, January 31, 2015 will be held at Lake Cahuilla Park.

The Color Vibe is a unique 5k fun run series that is gaining popularity throughout North America and Australia. Along the course, participants run, walk, or dance their way through color stations, where vibrant colors tie-dye their white outfits and costumes. When it is over, everyone is invited to stick around for a large colorful dance party hosted by a professional sound crew and DJ. As the website states, “You are the canvas, and when you’re finished with this 5k run you’ll be an exciting and vivid masterpiece.”

The Color Vibe encourages runners and walkers of all ages and skill levels to participate.

According to Taylor Spencer, Color Vibe Race Director, “The Color Vibe 5k is full of inspirational stories of runners and non-runners alike coming together to share a life experience, accomplish fitness goals, and become rainbow junkies. We do not time our 5k fun runs so every participant feels welcome to take their time having a blast and getting colored throughout the course, without any pressure.” For a limited time only, Children 12 and under can participate for free.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the local charity, F.I.N.D. Food Bank, “We are excited to be able to work with such great charities. They are able to help us to give back to the community and create lasting memories

with the locals.” Spencer says.

To make this event unique, the Color Vibe uses a cornstarch-based colored powder to tiedye participants. The colored powder is made in the USA and is made from food grade quality cornstarch using an advanced manufacturing process that has been custom developed for the Color Vibe Race Series. It is non-toxic, 100% safe, and biodegradable. It also washes out easily from skin and hair.

The Color Vibe offers special discounts to businesses looking to tap into their health and wellness plans. For more information on the Color Vibe event, registration, and wellness programs go to the company’s website: www.thecolorvibe.com or send an email to support@thecolorvibe.com.

Local businesses are are also encouraged to get involved in the event as vendors/sponsors and can contact erica@thecolorvibe.com if interested!

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY Week of November 27

ARIES (March 21-April 19): What exactly do you believe in, Aries? What’s your philosophy of life? Do you think that most people are basically good and that you can make a meaningful life for yourself if you just work hard and act kind? Do you believe that evil, shapeshifting, kitten-eating extraterrestrials have taken on human form and are impersonating political leaders who control our society? Are you like the character Crash Davis in the film Bull Durham, who believed in “high fiber, good scotch, the sweet spot, and long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days”? Now would be an excellent time for you to get very clear about the fundamental principles that guide your behavior. Re-commit yourself to your root beliefs -- and jettison the beliefs that no longer work for you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I have two encyclopedias of dreams, and they disagree on the symbolic meaning of mud. One book says that when you dream of mud, you may be facing a murky moral dilemma in your waking life, or are perhaps dealing with a messy temptation that threatens to compromise your integrity. The other encyclopedia suggests that when you dream of mud, it means you have received an untidy but fertile opportunity that will incite growth and creativity. I suspect that you have been dreaming of mud lately, Taurus, and that both meanings apply to you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Are there certain influences you would love to bring into your life, but you can’t figure out how? Do you fantasize about getting access to new resources that would make everything better for you, but they seem to be forever out of reach? If you answered “yes,” it’s time to stop moping. I’m happy to report that you have more power than usual to reel in those desirable influences and resources. To fully capitalize on this power, be confident that you can attract what you need.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Should you cut back and retrench? Definitely. Should you lop off and bastardize? Definitely not. Do I recommend that you spend time editing and purifying? Yes, please. Does this mean you should censor and repress? No, thank you. Here’s my third pair of questions: Will you be wise enough to shed some of your defense mechanisms and strip away one of your lame excuses? I hope so.

Should you therefore dispense with all of your psychic protections and leave yourself vulnerable to being abused? I hope not.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I know you’re beautiful and you know you’re beautiful. But I think you could be even more beautiful than you already are.

What do you think? Have you reached the limits of how beautiful you can be? Or will you consider the possibility that there is even more beauty lying dormant within you, ready to be groomed and expressed? I encourage you to ruminate on these questions: 1. Are you hiding a complicated part of your beauty because it would be hard work to liberate it? 2. Are you afraid of some aspect of your beauty because revealing it would force you to acknowledge truths about yourself that are at odds with your selfimage? 3. Are you worried that expressing your full beauty would intimidate other people?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Helsinki, Finland is growing downwards. By cutting out space in the bedrock below the city’s surface, farseeing leaders have made room to build shops, a data center, a hockey rink, a church, and a swimming pool.

There are also projects underway to construct 200 other underground structures. I’d like to see you start working along those lines, Virgo -- at least metaphorically. Now would be an excellent time to renovate your foundations so as to accommodate your future growth.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The Pantone Color Matching System presents a structured approach to identifying colors. It’s used as a standard in the printing industry. According to its system of classification, there are 104 various shades of grey. I suspect you will benefit from being equally discerning in the coming weeks. It just won’t be possible to

© Copyright 2012 Rob Brezsny

differentiate between the good guys and the bad guys. You’ll misunderstand situations that you try to simplify, and you’ll be brilliant if you assume there’s always more nuance and complexity to uncover.

Don’t just grudgingly tolerate ambiguity, Libra.

Appreciate it. Learn from it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I am not necessarily predicting that you will acquire a shiny new asset in time for the solstice. Nor am I glibly optimistic that you will get a raise in pay or an unexpected bonus.

And I can offer only a 65-percent certainty that you will snag a new perk or catch a financial break or stumble upon a treasure. In general, though, I am pretty confident that your net worth will rise in the next four weeks. Your luck will be unusually practical. To take maximum advantage of the cosmic tendencies, focus your efforts on the one or two most promising prospects.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist, and mathematician who is sometimes called “the father of modern science.” He expressed his innovative ideas so vigorously that he offended the Catholic Church, which convicted him of heresy. For us today, he symbolizes the magnificence of rational thought.

And yet Galileo also had a weird streak. For example, he gave lectures on the “Shape, Location, and Size of Dante’s Inferno,” analyzing the poet’s depiction of hell. In the course of these meticulous discourses, Galileo concluded that Satan was more than fourfifths of a mile tall. In this spirit, Sagittarius, and in accordance with current astrological omens, you are temporarily authorized to de-emphasize the constraints of reason and logic so that you may gleefully and unapologetically pursue your quirky proclivities.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): While in his early twenties, actor Robert Downey Jr. appeared in the films Less Than Zero and Weird Science. That got him semi-typecast as a member of Hollywood’s Brat Pack, a group of popular young actors and actresses who starred in coming-of-age films in the 1980s. Eager to be free of that pigeonhole, Downey performed a ritual in 1991: He dug a hole in his backyard and buried the clothes he had worn in Less Than Zero.

I recommend that you carry out a comparable ceremony to help you graduate from the parts of your past that are holding you back.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In her book Revolution from Within, Gloria Steinem offers a challenge: “Think of the times you have said: ‘I can’t write,’ ‘I can’t paint,’ ‘I can’t run,’ ‘I can’t shout,’ ‘I can’t dance,’ ‘I can’t sing.’” That’s your first assignment, Aquarius: Think of those times.

Your second assignment is to write down other “I can’t” statements you have made over the years.

Assignment three is to objectively evaluate whether any of these “I can’t” statements are literally true. If you find that some of them are not literally true, your fourth assignment is to actually do them. The coming weeks will be a favorable time to transform “I can’t” into “I can.”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Dogs don’t know where they begin and end,” writes Ursula K. Le Guin in her book The Wave in the Mind. They “don’t notice when they put their paws in the quiche.” Cats are different, LeGuin continues. They “know exactly where they begin and end. When they walk slowly out the door that you are holding open for them, and pause, leaving their tail just an inch or two inside the door, they know it. They know you have to keep holding the door open... It’s a cat’s way of maintaining relationship.” Whether you are more of a dog person or a cat person, Pisces, it is very important that you be more like a cat than a dog in the coming weeks. You must keep uppermost in your mind exactly where you begin and where you end.

Homework: For three days, uphold your highest ideal in every little way you can imagine. Report results at Truthrooster@gmail.com.

Rob Brezsny Free Will Astrology freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

November 27 to December 3, 2014

MIND, BODY & SPIRIT

BY BRONWYN ISON

NAYSAYERS, SAY GOODBYE!

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as anyone discouraged you from your aspirations? Perhaps, someone thinks your dreams are too ambitious? Or, someone attempts to sabotage your efforts? Anyone who is depriving you from achieving greatness needs to be abolished from your life. I don’t believe this statement is too extreme. You should NEVER allow someone to rain on your sunny day.

The naysayers do not deserve to impact your life. The negativity will debilitate you if you allow such behavior. The naysayer may be a relative. Have a conversation with this person and ask them why they believe you are not destined for greatness. Perhaps you have set the bar a little higher and your relative or friend is jealous. Do not allow someone to embezzle your joy. If you do, that means they win. Turn it around and say “no” to the naysayer.

Most naysayers are living in their own fear-based world. This person has personal hang-up’s, insecurities and this can be toxic to your relationship. Therefore, Naysayers, don’t want you to pursue your goals. Why? They have never attempted to accomplish what you are attempting to achieve. Plus, when you achieve your greatness it could be a contradiction of them and their misguided opinions.

It is time to say goodbye to the toxicity that surrounds you. Surround yourself with people who encourage and believe in you.

Here’s how…

Protect your goal and dreams. Don’t feel the need to tell everyone about everything you are doing. Safeguard yourself, especially in the infantile stages of your goals and dreams. This is the perfect time for someone to burst your bubble. This could instill doubt in your mind and impair you from moving forward.

Critique your naysayers. Who are they?

Why are they projecting negativity? Ask your self… are they living the life they desire? If not, why are they not pursuing

greater happiness for themselves.

A naysayer may raise objections to your plan. This can render food for thought.

Give the person credit and thank them for identifying the risk factors and potential flaws of your plan. If you desire, get back to them and share your experience. Do not waste time trying to explain yourself. Excuse yourself from the conversation politely and move forward with your plan.

Eliminate the naysayer. Misery loves company. Anyone who has the audacity to bring you down should not be present in your life. Mediocre is not in my vocabulary.

You have complete control over your environment and destiny. Surround yourself with positive influences. Now is your time to SHINE! Bronwyn Ison is the Owner of Evolve Yoga. e-volveyoga.com 760.564.YOGA 50-991 Washington St, La Quinta 92253

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

LIFE & CAREER COACH

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

BY SUNNY SIMON

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

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ust as I tuned into “The Voice” the other evening I witnessed a singer experiencing a timing issue. Immediately I felt his pain. Performing live in front of millions of viewers demands precision. Drawing on his courage and skill he quickly recovered and the remainder of the performance was flawless.

Immediately after the song, he was interviewed by the host and admitted he came in two beats too soon on the introduction and had to start over. The judges rose to his support by explaining even after years of performing seasoned professionals make mistakes. It was at this point where I felt the performance went awry. The judges were signaling forgiveness but our wanna-be star appeared closed off to the input probably experiencing a mental beating from his inner gremlins. Instead of relaxing into the supportive feedback, the contestant crossed his arms tightly over his chest listening with pain written across his face seemingly paralyzed by his fear of failure. I understood his disappointment, but wished he had gracefully held his head high and let it go.

When are we ever going to learn there is no such thing as perfection? I believe in setting the bar high. I support shooting for the stars, going for the gold or in this case striving to capture that coveted title. Conversely, we must acknowledge in the real world, not our make believe version,

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professionals make errors. How many times have we witnessed star figure skaters, like Katarina Wit or Kristi Yamaguchi landing on their backsides. For years we watched “the agony of defeat” clip on ABC’s Wild World of Sports. The producers of that show reminded the viewing audience in “the thrill of victory” is linked to defeat. Hard as we try, we don’t win them all.

Many of us struggle with the obsession to never be less than picture perfect. That is exactly the right term: obsession. If you find yourself in that category, it may be time to make a change.

I love the term “recovering perfectionist” because ridding yourself of the fear of one false move is a process. Begin by acknowledging that mistakes are as common as breathing.

The next time your key presentation, job interview or big date doesn’t go exactly as planned, spend a short moment acknowledging what went wrong and how you can improve, then move on. The test of a real winner is the ability to admit defeat graciously but more importantly, the power to release, not fixate on the loss. It is said that practice makes perfect, perhaps better put, as a life practice avoid upset at imperfections in you or in others.

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

BEAUTY

www.coachellavalleyweekly.com

November 27 to December 3, 2014

BY DR MARIA LOMBARDO

Dr. Maria Lombardo, Lombardo Cosmetic Surgery is located in Rancho Mirage.

She specializes in both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures including (but not limited to) facial, body and breast surgery, Botox, Latisse, and hCG diet program.

For a consultation or more information, visit www.lombardocosmeticsurgery.com or call 760-610-8990. Dr. Lombardo will be writing a bi-weekly column for CV Weekly.

HOW DOES BOTOX WORK FOR THE FROWN LINES: “LIFT AND SEPARATE”

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hose pesky frown lines that lie between the eyebrows have been treated and improved with Botox (and other similar medications) since the product was first FDA approved and widely introduced as a cosmetic agent in 2002.

When you furrow your brow, you push the brows closer together. This action causes the skin between the brows to fold onto itself. When we are young, the elasticity of our skin allows for those brow furrows to disappear after you relax the muscles.

But, as we age and lose skin elasticity, the creases become etched into place with each contraction of the muscle. Even when the forehead is relaxed, the lines can make us look like we are frowning or worried.

The typical treatment for the glabella, the name of the area between the brows, is around 20 units of Botox. It is injected into the muscles and affects the nerves that signal the muscles. After the medication starts to work, usually 3 – 5 days, when you try to frown, the message is prevented from reaching the muscles and there is no movement. With the skin at rest, not being creased on a regular basis, the wrinkles slowly relax away.

Everyone has these muscles, known as the corrugators, but there are a few different ways that the anatomy of the forehead can vary. Look closely… some people frown and have one, single crease that forms. Others have two parallel creases (this is often referred to as “the elevens”). Some can even have three lines! And to complicate things further, the shape and width of the corrugators can be different from person to person. This is important because the

Botox needs to be placed in the right spots, based on your specific anatomy.

So take a look in the mirror… which type are you? In order to prevent improper injection technique and possible problems: always have a physician who understands this special anatomy, and its variations, administer your Botox. As Dr. Bunin of Allentown, PA says, “It is very important to distinguish between these (different types of muscles) to avoid the all too common nasal brow ptosis (droop) and subsequent “spock brow”. Proper placement should give patients what I like to call “the Playtex bra of Botox--lift and separate (the brows)”!”

Call Lombardo Cosmetic Surgery today to make your appointment with Dr. Maria Lombardo – 760-610-8990.

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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November 27 to December 3, 2014

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