Thank you to our advisory board whose talents, insights, and passions contribute to the quality of this publication
Jacqueline Guevara
Executive Director, Joshua Tree National Park Association
Barnett English Festival Founder and Director, Joshua Tree Music Festival
Dave Catching
Owner, Rancho De La Luna
Recording Studio & Rancho De La Luna Mezcal, Musician, Producer
Mario Lalli
Musician, Fatso Jetson, Yawning Man, Mario Lalli and the Snake Charmers
Bobby Furst
Owner/Creator of FurstWurld, Artist
OUR TEAM:
Graphic Design: Jeff Day
Graphic Design (Cover): Lisa Lynn Morgan
Web & Marketing: Pointed Services
Staff Photographer: Sandra Goodin
Art Writer: Katie Nartonis
Poetry Corner Creator: Angeles
Owner/Publisher: Lisa Lynn Morgan
Owner/Principal: Ray Rodriguez
FEATURE WRITERS
Ray Rodriguez Jr.
Benjamin Lolwing
Jacqueline Guevara
Lisa Lynn Morgan
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ben Azir Erdaho
Sarah Witt
Bob Grubbs
Ruben Asandor
Bob Wick
Nick Michaela
Layla Ortiz-Thorson
WE WOULD NOT BE HERE without our amazing team, the love of this diverse and colorful, supportive community, and the businesses that have partnered with us through advertising. Please, whenever you can, show the businesses represented in these pages some love – lots of it! They are why we get to put your stories, events, conservation efforts, art, and music profiles in print.
If you would like to partner with Joshua Tree Voice through digital and print marketing, please contact us at (760) 237-0124.
ABOUT THE COVER:
Photo by Sandra Goodin. Mil-Tree (a local non-profit supporting veterans) and the crew from their 2023 production, Tapestry, accept the Outstanding Indoor Theatrical Production at the 2024 Joshuas Honors Gala. Featured left to right: Karen Morton, Sally Gorill, Pat Wallis, Cheryl Montell, Director Christian Camargo, Gabriella Evaro, Mark Gender, and Nadia Clark. The honor was presented by Bobby Furst (somewhere behind everyone there on stage).
NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER:
How the hay is it November already!
It’s been a beautiful blur between the October and November issues. We even managed to sneak in a gala somewhere in between the two. The community showed up and brought all their magic to the Joshua Tree Retreat Center for the 3rd Annual, 2024 Joshuas Honors Gala. Like the attendees and performers, the weather couldn’t have been more splendid (more on the Joshuas in the pages to follow).
As we journey into the fall and winter seasons and the many holidays that come with it, may I just express one more time how fortunate we are to tell your stories, raise your voice, promote your art, and tell the world that it’s not just our National Park that makes this place fascinating - it’s all of YOU. Please keep sending in your ideas and events to info@joshuatreevoice.com, and feel free to upload your events onto our website’s community calendar. Scan QR code to visit our website and view all our digital magazines
Your 2024 Joshuas
This year’s Joshua’s manifested another supernova of community love. Basin neighbors and colleagues set another attendance record while enthusiastically celebrating the priceless and diverse accomplishments of area brethren, through word, music, dance, art, and food. Your Voice, once again, roared with appreciation and gratitude. - Ray Rodriguez
(2022 Honoree Kennedy Verrett, 2023 Honoree Son of the Velvet Rat)
The Palms, Wonder Valley OUTSTANDING MUSIC EVENT
(2022 Honoree Joshua Tree Music Festival, 2023 Honoree Furstwurld Solutions)
Ghost Ranch by Son of the Velvet Rat @ Red Barn Recorders OUTSTANDING ALBUM, Released after January 2023
(2022 Honoree All The Space There Is, 2023 Honoree Tumbleweed Time Machine)
Giant Rock Studio OUTSTANDING STUDIO
(2022 Honoree Goat Mountain Recording, 2023 Honoree Rancho De La Luna)
“I Was Right, She Was Wrong” Louise Goffin OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG, Released after January 2023 (2023 Honoree “Stationary Humming Bird,” Joe City Garcia
Mario Lalli and the Rubber Snake Charmers OUTSTANDING ROCK ARTIST/GROUP
(2022 Honoree Flames of Durga, 2023 Honoree Los Ponchos Tones)
Rosa Pullman OUTSTANDING FEMALE VOCALIST
(2022 Honoree Jesika Von Rabbit, 2023 Honoree Victoria Williams)
Gene Evaro, Jr. OUTSTANDING MALE VOCALIST
(2022 Honoree Nigel Roman, 2023 Honoree Pat Kearns)
Photos by: Sandra Goodin
Rosa Pullman Outstanding Americana and Female Vocalist
(Produced after January 2022) (2022 Live From Joshua Tree, 2023 Hi-Desert Fringe)
Joshua Treenial – Boxo Projects
OUTSTANDING OUTDOOR THEATRICAL STAGE PRODUCTION
(Produced after January 2022)
(2022 Joshua Tree Theater Under the Sky, 2023 Crash & Ride Cabaret)
Kevin Bone
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR THEATRICAL PRODUCTION
(New category – no previous recipients)
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS
Morongo Basin Conservation Association
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECOLOGY/CONSERVATION OF THE MORONGO BASIN (2022 Mojave Desert Land Trust, 2023 Joshua Tree National Park Association)
Laurel Seidle
OUTSTANDING DISPLAY OF LOCAL LOVE PERSON/GROUP (2022 Joshua Tree No-Kill Animal Shelter, 2023 Danielle Wall)
Harrison House
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE CULTURE OF THE JOSHUA TREE AREA (2022 Bobby Furst/Furstwurld, 2023 Beatnik Lounge)
Joshua Tree Retreat Center for Mental Physics TRAILBLAZER
(2022 Honoree Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours, 2023 Honoree The Noah Purifoy Foundation)
The Voice of Joshua Tree was presented to Friends of Pioneertown
(2022 Honoree Victoria Williams, 2023 Barnett English)
The Legacy Honor was presented to Dave Catching, Rancho De La Luna
(2022 Honoree Harriet Allen, 2023 Honoree Kim Stringfellow)
Jasmine and Lorenzo Outstanding World Music
Penelope Valentine Outstanding Photography
Tapestry Outstanding Indoor Theatrical Event
The 3rd Annual Joshuas Honors Gala
By Lisa Lynn Morgan
15 music acts, 26 honors presentations, and a whole lot of food and drink were enjoyed by a record turnout at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center for Mental Physics to celebrate contributions to the arts, culture, and conservation. It was a fortunate and gloriously splendid day in what is usually an unpredictable time of year weather-wise.
Mario Lalli and crew managed the stage production like a Hollywood dream team. Hutch sat in the captain’s chair with his lovely wife and co-captain as he finessed the sound and lights, making everything feel like we’d all made it to the “big time.”
DJ Dynamic Dave and team kept the music happening for the in between moments and the afterparty. Raymond Rodriguez and his spectacular team spoiled us all with jumbo shrimp cocktail, hand carved carnitas, herbed penne pasta, opera cake, assorted desserts, and more. Ed Heethuis from GRND SQRL’s 29 Palms Beer company kept the drinks pouring (thank you Joshua Tree Distillery and Rancho De La Luna Mezcal)! Joe Alvarez worked the door, while his wife Erin stood by me like an angel making sure the honors were in the order of the presentation, something I’ve yet to master flawlessly. Mary Mulally and Ben Lolwing also stood by all evening ready to assist, and did so brilliantly.
The music was a testimony to the amount of talent this desert attracts. In three years and just under 50 performances, we have yet to have a repeat performance, and every act has delivered a jaw dropping performance.
A few things have proven constant and never underappreciated, and that is the love, joy, and kinship shared by the hundreds gathered there to celebrate each other.
The Joshua Tree Voice team is overwhelmingly grateful for the support bestowed on this little idea that became a gala. Thanks to your participation and our incredible sponsors, we will be able to contribute to the good efforts of the Boys and Girls Club of the HiDesert, Joshua Tree National Park Association, and the Joshua Tree Retreat Center for Mental Physics. From the deepest parts of our hearts, thank you all!
Photos by: Sandra Goodin
Bobby Moses Nichols
Here’s what others had to say about the event:
“Attending an awards ceremony in the high desert is not something that I’m very accustomed to doing often, or indeed ever. In fact, rarely do I get the chance to venture off the mountain of Idyllwild for even a quick visit. After experiencing the Joshuas this year, basking in the brilliant artistry and inspired forcefield that the talented residents of Joshua Tree and the surrounding communities provide, I can declare with all certainty that I will no longer be a stranger to the scene. The high desert holds much wizardry and intrigue, and the Joshua Awards are the perfect vehicle to catch a glimpse of these hidden gems, crystallizing their creativity in the desert biome.”
- Brian Parnell, Audiowild Studio, Idyllwild CA
“It was a honor to attend the Joshuas put on by the Joshua Tree Voice. The Joshua Tree Retreat Center hosted an amazing night in the Sanctuary, with great music both indoors and outside. I wasn’t expecting to hear my name called. I love this community and am so grateful to be part of it.”
- Louise Goffin
Madame Harlequin
(Liesl Cluse)
“When I first moved to the high desert in the Spring of 2023, I picked up a copy of the Joshua Tree Voice and it became my guide to everything happening here and the people making the Arts and Culture community in the high desert so vibrant. I saved all of the copies of the monthly publication so I could become better acquainted with the stories of all these amazing folks. Then the Voice began hosting regular gatherings at Taylor Junction and I made a point of attending. Sure enough, I began to meet people who would become my friends- and there was always music, food, and art to boot. I learned about the Joshuas and attended last fall. There I experienced some of the best players and performers up here, not to mention my new friends and acquaintances. This gala event was held at the historic Joshua Tree Retreat Center which quickly became one of my favorite locations. I attended events throughout the Basin from the Palms in Wonder Valley to the Spaghetti Western in Morongo, and whether I showed up alone or with a friend, I always knew that I would be greeted with love.
So this year, when the Joshuas were announced, of course I got my ticket and dressed to impress this funky and fabulous crowd of attendees. What struck me this year, in addition to the great food, drink, entertainment, and awards was how much I had become part of this wonderful place. I shared so much love and warmth with everyone I encountered. And no one was a stranger, whether I knew them already or not.
This is the spirit of Joshua Tree. A spirit of Love and Oneness, egoless acceptance, and that magic spark of Community which exists here. And for me this is what the Joshuas represent- this joyously felt best in all of us. And in this fractured, dangerous and divided world we live in, this is the most valuable quality I can imagine.”
- Audrey Philpot
Paul Moeller
Save the date. God willin’ and the creek don’t rise, the 4th Annual Joshuas Honors Gala will return to the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, Sunday October 19, 2025
“I’ve played a couple open mics, been to some shows in the area, and have been consistently surprised by the friendliness and encouragement of the local artists and the venues that host events. But to step back and get the macro view, that this is the essence of the culture in the entire Morongo Basin and beyond - I guess saying I’m grateful is an understatement! Self-expression is what life is all about so to be able to share my story and experience other people’s heart songs, without fear of judgement or negativity was an unparalleled blessing.”
- David Westley
“The third annual Joshuas was a truly magical night and one for the record books. The talent pool per capita throughout the Morongo basin is Impressive to say the least. Such a true pleasure to see so many folks recognized for their incredible hard work of their given passion.”
- Seth Zaharias
“A lot of us chose the Morongo Basin because of the sense of community and the huge number of creative folks that live here. The Joshua’s are a unique opportunity to see all those things - the musicians, artists, community leaders - all in one room. It’s a great reminder of what makes this place so different. The Joshua Tree Retreat Center was the perfect place for the event. The eclectic architecture of the Sanctuary there is the only place unusual enough to contain our creative community. The Friends of Pioneertown was founded to celebrate and enhance our community, And the Joshua’s is a place where you show up and realize that the entire basin in full of other people and organizations are doing exactly the same thing.”
- Ben Loesher, Friends of Pioneer Town
Photos by: Sandra Goodin
David Westley on his 100 year old Dobro, a family heirloom.
The 6th
Yucca Valley Film Festival
Brings World Class Talents to the Desert,
Nov 8-10, 2024
“An amazing combination of community, films, and art in the beautiful desert.” Jake Myers won the Best Director Award last year at the Yucca Valley Film Festival (YVFF) with his horror, Sci-Fi-adjacent short film,” Kombucha!”. He was one of the 127 artists attending the 3-day event in Yucca Valley in 2023.
“We had a record attendance last year. We are so happy that the Yucca Valley Film Festival became a staple of the Hi-Desert” says festival director Matt Beurois.
For its 6th edition (November 8 through 10), the international film festival is bringing back all the fanfavorites: the Kids Program with world-class animated short films (Saturday, 1pm), the Red Carpet for every festival-goer (Friday and Saturday 5:30 pm, Sunday 5pm), the Script Writers and Composers Roundtable (Sunday 1:30pm), and screenings every day (Friday 6:45 pm, Saturday 9:30 am, 1 pm, 6:30 pm, Sunday 2:45 pm).
“This year, we are mixing the films. Whenever you come, you’ll have the chance to watch short films,
documentaries, music videos, animation. For example, if you only attend Saturday night, we want you to get a rich experience in more than one type of film,” explained Beurois.
Following Rosanna Arquette in 2023, the guest for this year’s Masterclass is two-time Emmy award winner and A-List director, Shane Stanley. Stanley’s most recent film, “Night Train,” ranked #1 on Hulu, and his previous effort “Double Threat” was a #1 movie on Netflix in 16 countries.
Shane is a real independent filmmaker who has a lot to share. He is the perfect guest for our Masterclass and picture signing. He is also a local director and filmed several of his movies in Joshua Tree, as well as the hi and the low desert. Stanley’s Masterclass is Saturday Nov 9 at 2:30pm, and it will be immediately followed by a Town Hall to discuss, “The Current State of Hollywood.”
Photo provided by Yucca Valley Film Festival
Photo provided by Yucca Valley Film Festival
YVFF Awarded director, Brent Huff (The Rookie), and producer Shawn Huff will come back to Yucca Valley to discuss with Stanley and other guests about the challenges the movie business is facing.
“The Yucca Valley Film Fest is really becoming an important event,” shares Beurois. “The event and the Town are now on the radar of many filmmakers. Having received William Baldwin, Rosanna Arquette, and now Shane Stanley, we are really stepping up as a film festival that is meaningful, and impactful for its participants, and really fun for the community and attendees”
The Festival was recognized in 2024 by the US Congress, the California Senate, the County of San Bernardino, and the Basin Wide Foundation for its cultural contribution. It has also ranked five times in the top 1% of the Best Reviewed Film Festivals Worldwide by the platform FilmFreeway.
Another sign of the success of the event, a handful of filmmakers are returning to the Morongo Basin with a new film. “I’ve now gone to YVFF twice, and I have to say, I just really love it. There’s something magical about the whole experience and they offer a whole ton for filmmakers to enjoy and learn while there” shares Josh Rose, a filmmaker and photographer based in Los Angeles.
“Every filmmaker and scriptwriter gets the VIP treatment,” says YVFF awarded director Paul Hollingsworth. Local filmmaker Nicholas Luciano, who holds the record for the filmmaker who attended the festival the most, seconds that by sharing, “The fest showcased talent within the indie filmmaking community, and the festival organizers Matt and Auregan, along with all of the staff and volunteers, do a fantastic job creating a welcoming environment.”
The local community plays a key part in the success of the signature event of the Town of Yucca Valley. The Meet and Greets this year will feature the Supernova All Stars Cheers of Yucca Valley (Friday 6pm), Captain Warrick, the Morongo Sheriff’s Office and the new K-9 Unit (Saturday 5:30 pm), and Miss Yucca Valley Court (Sunday morning).
On top of the Town Hall, two other new events are added this year: A “Rapid Fire Pitch Practice” will allow filmmakers to pitch their new film idea to community members in only 2 minutes, and after the Annual Awards, the festival will conclude with a cocktail.
“For the Pitch Practice, every participating filmmaker will be paired with a community member or a festival attendee. They will have 60 seconds to pitch their new idea, and another 60 seconds to get feedback. Then filmmakers switch places and meet with a new person. At the end of the session, filmmakers will have tested their new film idea on dozens of people!” explains Beurois.
Anyone who wants to participate in the Pitch Practice event can send an email to yuccavalleyfilmfestival@ gmail.com. Participants are then invited to stay for the final Red Carpet and the closing cocktail (free).
Full program details can be found on yuccavalleyfilmfestival.com
The Festival is free to attend, and there’s complimentary popcorn every night. It takes place at the Community Center in Yucca Valley, 57090 Twentynine Palms Highway.
Both photos provided by Yucca Valley Film Festival
Photo provided by Yucca Valley Film Festival
Photo by: Sandra Goodin
25 Years in Joshua Tree Desert Institute Celebrates a Milestone Anniversary!
By Jacqueline Guevara
We know that lifelong learning is important to our mental health and has even been found to help preserve memory as we age. The Desert Institute is the perfect organization to support lifelong learning in southern California. Our desert is unique, and the classes give participants the opportunity to learn about and better understand how to enjoy and protect desert plants and wildlife.
“As a volunteer, I have the opportunity to stay active and support my community. I enjoy meeting the participants and learning from the instructors. It is a pleasure to keep everyone safe while they learn about our desert. I learn so much from the classes and in turn, I am able to share what I have learned with people that I come into contact with while I am out on the trails. The Desert Institute has given me an opportunity to give back to this beautiful place that has provided so much peace and joy to me.” - Pam Kersey, a volunteer since 2014 and JTNPA Board Member since 2023.
Desert Institute, the educational branch of the Joshua Tree National Park Association (JTNPA), was created in 1999 by the former Joshua Tree Chief of Interpretation and current JTNPA Board Vice President, Joe Zarki. The proposal was to create a field program for adults to be operated by JTNPA that would complement the park’s own ranger-led interpretive activities. The
program, made up of subject matter expert instructors and a cadre of dedicated volunteers, would focus on providing college level classes to park visitors similar to other programs run by national park associations at Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Grand Canyon.
Desert Institute, (or as it is commonly known, DI) was operated by the National Park Service in its first year thanks to a grant from the Parks as Classrooms program. After the first year, the institute was absorbed by JTNPA as part of its educational operations, and we’re still going strong! Beginning with 5 classes in its inaugural year, DI has grown to a Fall 2024 season roster of 39 classes, 8 lectures, and 2 family friendly special events!
“Regular” field classes are comprised of offerings in Cultural and Natural History; Survival Skills; Earth Science; Flora and Fauna; Community Wellness; Conservation and Desert Ecology; and a myriad of Creative Courses, such as workshops on photography, art, and
writing. Our Weekend Adventures include a Women’s Getaway Weekend and a Hiking My Feelings “Grateful for Joshua Tree National Park” session, and our Coming OUTdoors Hike and Mixer offers a space for our local queer community to get together and learn more about our desert environs. Other special programming features a partnership with UC Riverside Extension to offer a Desert Ecology and Conservation Certificate, which is earned upon completion of 12 units of our 400-level for-credit classes.
No time for a full-day or multi-day experience? Catch some of our lectures! Together with the 29 Palms Historical Society, we proudly offer the Old Schoolhouse Lecture Series. These lectures take place on the 2nd Friday of the month at the Old Schoolhouse Museum in 29 Palms and start at 7:00 PM to accommodate working folks. And, in conjunction with JTNPA funded graduate students via the Marian Huff Tremblay Science Scholarship program, we present the Slice of Science series! Join us at Mojave Flea in Yucca Valley every 3rd Thursday through December to learn about the most current scientific research happening in Joshua Tree and enjoy some free pizza to boot!
DI Program Manager Benazir Erdahl and Volunteers - Photo credit: Benazir Erdahl
Pam Kersey - Photo credit: Sarah Witt
But wait – there’s more! As the icing on top of our birthday cake, we are proud to invite you as our guests to 2 very special events. Archaeopalooza is our yearly celebration of all things related to – you guessed it –Archaeology! This free, family friendly event, hosted by Desert Institute and sponsored by the Society for California Archaeology, features archaeology talks, science lectures, a conservation resource fair, and a variety of games and activities. This year we are holding the event at Freedom Plaza in 29 Palms, and it promises to be a day of fun for all!
And last but certainly not least, we hope you’ll join us at our first ever Writer’s Festival, a celebration of writers, books, readers, and ideas inspired by our deserts and Joshua Tree National Park. This inaugural event will take place at the historic Joshua Tree Retreat Center, and is being curated by noted author, professor, and Mojave Desert Poet Laureate, Rugh Nolan.
As Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent, Jane Rodgers, recently shared, “There is no greater joy than continuous education. Amidst the daily constraints of work and busy lives, the gift of learning a new skill, a new discovery, a new idea, is a gift to yourself.” Why not celebrate our birthday with the gift of education? We’d love to have you join us in the desert, to celebrate our 25 years in the desert – and we’ll even pick up the tab for park entry!
Funded entirely by JTNPA, Desert Institute offers field classes, recreational adventures, weekend excursions, and social events that span a wide spectrum of disciplines and formats. Our programming works to articulate and animate the rich resources of not only the national park but also the surrounding desert environment and the community of people who make Joshua Tree so unique. Our vision is to provide a rich inclusive learning environment that inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to recreate together and help steward this beautiful place for years to come. For more information, visit joshuatree.org.
Slice of Science - Photo credit: Bob Grubbs
Maureen and Wayne, Birds of Joshua Tree - Photo credit: Benazir Erdahl
Flowers and Trail, Women’s Getaway Weekend - Photo credit: Sarah Witt
Cyndi Lauper’s
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Farewell
Tour”
Hits Acrisure Arena, Sunday, November 24, 2024
By Lisa Lynn Morgan
Cyndi Lauper: A Lasting Legacy and the 2024 Farewell Tour
Cyndi Lauper’s unmistakable voice, wild sense of style, and bold authenticity have kept her at the forefront of pop culture since the 1980s. Known for her anthemic “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” Lauper’s music and artistry have transcended generations, cementing her status as one of pop’s most celebrated icons. Now, in a monumental farewell tour announced for 2024, Lauper is taking her signature flair across the U.S. for the first time in over a decade, giving fans one last chance to experience her electrifying energy live.
The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, produced by Live Nation, will take Lauper through 23 cities, including a November 24 stop at Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs. As a groundbreaking force in music, Lauper’s career has been packed with notable firsts. Her debut album, She’s So Unusual, made history, launching her Grammy-winning career and making her the first woman to score four top-five singles from a debut album. Songs like “Time After Time,” “True Colors,” and “All Through the Night” solidified her as a master of emotional pop, with an impact that goes beyond the charts.
As she embarks on her final tour, Lauper’s legacy is being celebrated through LET THE CANARY SING, a documentary by Emmy®-winning director Alison Ellwood. This film, which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, dives deep into Lauper’s life and career, examining her meteoric rise, her influence on the punk-pop aesthetic, and her activism. An imprint ceremony at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre recently honored her contributions to the industry, and she was profiled on CBS Sunday Morning, giving fans a closer look at her enduring passion for art and advocacy.
Beyond music, Lauper has been a dedicated activist for women, the LGBTQ+ community, and those affected by HIV/AIDS. She has used her platform to advocate tirelessly for equality, bringing her inclusive spirit to every project she takes on. From winning the Tony for Best Original Score with Kinky Boots to launching initiatives like True Colors United, Lauper continues to be a force for change.
Joining her on this tour is none other than Trixie Mattel, the drag superstar and Billboardtopping artist known for her humor, glam, and high-energy performances. As fans gear up to bid farewell to Cyndi on tour, the pairing with Trixie brings a modern, playful twist to each show.
Whether it’s through her music, her activism, or her iconic punk-inspired look, Cyndi Lauper’s impact on pop culture and social justice is undeniable. This tour is a testament to her enduring appeal, a chance for fans to celebrate her legendary career, and a reminder that Lauper’s voice—and the fun it inspires—will echo for years to come.
Scan QR code for Tickets.
Photo by: Ruben Asandor
ART ROUNDUP
NOVEMBER
By Katie Nartonis
Morongo Valley:
Spaghetti Western Gallery: Susan Kearns, New Paintings
Info: Opening Reception Sunday, November 3rd – 6-8pm.
Show runs from October 31 – December 29th
SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL ARTIST SUSAN KEARNS:
Joshua Tree Voice Arts Writer, Katie Nartonis interviewed artist Susan Kearns in advance of her one-woman show opening this month at Spaghetti Western in Morongo Valley. Susan is a double threat –an inspired painter and a musician with her husband in the “Kearns Family Band.”
Katie Nartonis: How did you land on painting as your medium?
Susan Kearns: Painting allows me to express myself freely. I like the freedom to decide if I want to be meticulous and detailed, or just throw paint on a panel in an expressive way. I usually use large brushes and experiment with various textures and types of paint. I like the smells, the different viscosities...I find painting to be exciting,
therapeutic, and at times frustrating. It stirs my emotions in a way that no other art form can.
KN: Tell me about your work and your process.
SK: I usually work large. I work on wood panels because I like a rigid surface in order to manipulate it. I work predominantly in oil, but out of necessity, I started incorporating industrial materials that I purchase at local hardware stores. I’m now using anything that I could get my hands on, and getting interesting results. I’ve been calling it “Experimentalism”. It has kind of become my thing. I paint outdoors in a primitive openair “studio”. I use the Desert as a medium. I’ll let sand
blow on wet paint, for example. I also like to let my paintings sit outside in the elements, sometimes for weeks or months to see a sense of deterioration. I find that fascinating.
KN: How does the Desert inform your work?
Because I work outdoors, I feel very connected to the Desert. I’m inspired by the harsh beauty of it. I paint a lot of Desert landscapes. When I visit a place I find inspiring, I try to take it into memory. When I paint it, I will draw from those memories. It ends up taking on a dreamlike, surreal quality that’s based on my emotions as opposed to being based on a photo. I also paint Desert animals. I paint them as iconic, saintly beings often with human qualities.
KN: How does being a musician affect your paintings?
SK: I’m a musician as well as a music fan. I play standup bass in “The Kearns Family” an acoustic folk and western duo formed by my husband singer/songwriter Pat Kearns. I get a lot of painting inspiration from the imagery in his writings. For our album “Down In The Wash”, I made a painting for each one of the songs. I listened to the songs over and over while Pat was mixing them (he’s also a recording engineer), and painted my feelings and what imagery arose from listening to the music. It was a very successful series. I did the same thing again for our new album “Together And Alone”. I also play electric bass in a rock band called “Yvonne Champagne”. It’s an all-female power trio consisting of two electric effect-laden basses and drums. I met my band mates, Cat Celebrezze and Denise Tanguay in the local art scene. We are all artists and it shows in our unique sound of fuzz garage rock.
KN: What do you see for the future of the Desert community, what are your hopes?
SK: We have a magical place here in our Desert community, and so many crazy talented artists of all sorts! My hopes are that we (The Morongo Basin) can be an art community first. A place where artists can live affordably and thrive. I’m hoping the local governments actively take part in helping art and music venues open so we have places to meet, network, and create. I’m hoping that our unique community doesn’t get overrun with bland housing developments, chain restaurants, and chain retail. I’m hoping we can keep Joshua Tree weird.
Photos: Courtesy of Susan Kearns
“Pink Moon Rise”. 13x17”. “Oil and acrylic on wood.
“The Lone Wolf”. “24x36”. Oil and industrial paints on panel.
LANDERS:
Goat Gallery Landers:
Show title: CONTEMPLATE
Featuring the work of Judith-Schorr Wold and David McDonald
Dates: Artist Reception on Sunday, November 10, 2-5 pm.
Show runs November 10, 2024 - January 12, 2025
Information: Goat will celebrate the fall with a twoperson exhibition, CONTEMPLATE, featuring the work of high-desert artist Judith-Schorr Wold and Los Angeles artist David McDonald. Gallerist Nicola Vruwink notes, “This exhibition unites the work of the two artists, offering an expansive visual discourse that deeply resonates a contemplative engagement with color, material, texture, and form.”
Goat Gallery is located at 1025 Single Tree Rd Landers, 92285
Appointments are available, reach out here or on IG @goatgallerylanders to schedule
Photo:
David McDonald, “Big Country #29, 2023 Hydrocal, Plaster Wrap, Liquid Watercolor, Varnish, Sand, Cold Wax Medium
7” x 10” x 7
YUCCA VALLEY:
Black Rock Art Gallery:
Show Title: Jim Weaver
Dates: Show open thru January 3, 2025
Information: Black Rock Gallery is located in the Black Rock Nature Center and exists as a space for presenting contemporary interpretations of themes related to the Joshua Tree National Park.
Compound YV
Show Title: Ayin Es’ solo exhibition ‘On The Mend,’ Dates: Opening Nov. 16. Show on view through Jan 12.
Information: Multimedia artist, writer, and musician Ayin Es was born in Santa Monica, CA, and identifies as trans/nonbinary and genderqueer. They are known for their unusual oil paintings, drawings, collages, and Artist’s books.
A two-time recipient of ARC Grants from the Durfee Foundation, they also won a Pollock-Krasner Fellowship, the Wynn Newhouse Award, the Bruce Geller Memorial Award from the American Jewish University, and an Artist Achievement Award from the National Arts & Disability Center/UCLA.
Learning music at an early age, Ayin studied drums with prestigious teachers and played professionally for over fifteen years. They have toured the US and Canada, recorded and worked with notable musicians and producers, and specialize in hip-hop, R&B, rock, and funk styles.
Compound YV is located at 55379 29 Palms Highway Gallery is open Friday thru Sunday, 12 – 5pm.
Hi Desert Artists (HDA) Show Titles:
“Pro Members Photo Show”
October 26 – November 20.
Opening: October 26, 5-8pm.
“Assemblage Invitational”
October 26 – November 20.
Opening: October 26, 5-8pm.
“Beyond the Sand”
Group show featuring DeAnna Valdez, Matt Cauthron, Sonja Krastman and Juliette Vos. Show runs from November 1 – November 30, Opening Reception: November 1, 5-8pm.
Information: The Hi-Desert Artists Center announces three new shows for November: The Photo Show in the East Members’ Gallery features a variety of photographic work, some from artists whose primary medium isn’t necessarily photography.
The Assemblage Invitational in the West Members’ Gallery features art that is assembled from various found objects, and generally three dimensional.
“Beyond the Sand” in the Shafer Gallery showcases work by DeAnna Valdez, Matt Cauthron, Sonja Krastman and Juliette Vos. In December, we are carrying on a tradition started by Gallery62, and hosting a $200 and under Holidays Show, opening on Nov 30, and running through Dec 27. The Shafer Gallery will be featuring the work of Jason Graves at that time.
The HDA Center is open Thursday - Monday, 12 - 6, 12 - 3 on Sunday.
55635 29 Palms Highway, Yucca Valley (Corner of Geronimo and Hwy 62)
PHOTO: California Dreaming - Tami Wood, Assemblage Artist
Space Truckin’ Gallery
Show Title: “Just Desserts” (A delicious group of art)
Dates: Opens on November 16th, 5-9pm - during the Third Saturday Yucca Valley Art Walk.
Information: All the art will be dessert themed, subjects include pastries, cakes, donuts, and many other sweet looking pieces. There will also be a wide variety of actual desserts made by the artists and friends to eat.
Come satisfy your sweet tooth and your sweet eye! Just Desserts, an indulgent, visually sweet and tasty dessert experience!
JOSHUA TREE:
HeyThere Projects
Show Title: Satoko Okuno
Dates: Opening reception sat. November 9, 6-9 PM. The show runs Oct. 9 – Dec.12
Information: Satoko Okuno (b. 1991) is a painter and ceramic artist originally from Tokyo, Japan, currently living and working in LA. “Okuno’s artistic vision is anchored in the portrayal of animals and mythological creatures, drawing inspiration from various sources such as her two cats, encounters at the zoo, and ancient art forms like Greek pottery and Egyptian sculptures. Her vibrant mixed-media paintings, adorned with impasto textures, and glazed stoneware breathe life into these creatures, establishing them as guardians within her art and inviting viewers into a comforting and safe realm. This profound exploration of guardianship is rooted in Okuno’s Japanese upbringing, steeped in the cultural richness of Shintoism—the belief that all things, ranging from natural materials, animals, and humans alike, have a spirit. Having grown up with traditional Japanese sculptures of guardian animals, often placed in front of shrines to bring safety and protect inhabitants, she recasts those animals as central characters in her modern-day sanctuaries, providing solace and gentleness in a world often laden with life’s traumas.”
La Matadora
Show Title: “Low Hanging Magick”
Dates: Show opens Saturday, Nov 9 with an Art Party from 6-9pm. Show runs through Sunday, Dec 8.
Information: Three Person show featuring the work of Aaron Sheppard, Frau Sakra and Tony Buhagiar. “Low Hanging Magick” features the work of three artists working with narrative themes, giving them their own unique twists. Nature, sex, and magick are subjects that permeate the work and the thread that ties the distinctively contrasting style of each artist together. The title is a cheeky nod to all of the above….and below!
(Studio 52) 61857 Highway 62 Joshua Tree
Gallery hours are Sat & Sun 12-5pm and by appointment.
Show Title: 12th Annual JTNP Art Expo Juried Exhibition – All Galleries
Dates: Opening Saturday November 2, 4-7pm Nov. 30th: Holiday Art Market 9am-3pm
Hours: 11am-3pm (Friday-Sunday)
Information: 74055 Cottonwood Dr, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Photo: Poster for JTNP
Katie Nartonis
Photo: Donut with Sprinkles by Juan Thorp
is an art + design specialist, writer, curator and documentary film maker. Her latest book, “California Desert Artists” will be featured at the upcoming 29PBF: TwentyNine Palms Book Festival on November 8 + 9. Her upcoming curated exhibit “Garry Knox Bennett: Crafting the Counter Culture” opens at the Maloof Foundation during Palm Springs Modernism Week, 2025.
Nov. 16 Nov. 17 10am-2pm 10am-2pm
One - of-a-Kind Handcraf ted I tems and Fine Ar t
Award winning Gourds that are car ved, sculpted, woven and hand painted
Metal Sculpture
Ceramics & Glass
Wood Car ving
Yard Ar t
Unique Clothing
¡HAY Fest ival! Presents Short Films by Latinx Filmmakers, with Two Screening Events this November in Joshua Tree
JOSHUA TREE, CA – ¡Hay Festival!, a festival celebrating Chicanx/Latinx culture through music, food, dance, theatre, art, and film, announces its film program for 2024, ¡HAY CINE! LATINX SHORT FILMS FROM LA TO THE DESERT, which is FREE to attend. Five short films have been selected from Latinx filmmakers in Los Angeles to screen on November 8th in Joshua Tree. Carlos Avila, Film Curator for ¡Hay Festival!, says, “For those who’d like a glimpse into the future of U.S. Latinx filmmaking, these five beautifully crafted and exquisitely told short films provide an excellent sampling of what’s to come in the years ahead.”
Then on November 13th will be the World Premiere of Chicano Moses vs La Bruja de Landers, a short film by Latinx creatives from the Joshua tree area, visual artist Joe Alvarez and filmmaker José Garcia Davis. “Joe came to me with the idea of making a short, humorous movie about luchadores in the high desert”, says Davis. “I knew that we could make an entertaining movie together. We were fortunate to get the fantastic trio Los Poncho Tones to do the music, who captured just the right mood”.
Chicano Moses vs La Bruja de Landers film still director Jose Garcia Davis
The Kill Floor_film still with Jaime Zevallos, Alejandro Patino, Daniel E. Mora_director Carlos Avila
The two film events will each include a Q&A discussion with the filmmakers, serving as a way for attendees to engage and learn more about their filmmaking practices. The films will be screened at Joshua Tree Retreat Center at 59700 Hwy 62 in Joshua Tree. The screenings are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be available.
THE FILM PROGRAM INCLUDES:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
FIVE LATINX SHORT FILMS FROM LOS ANGELES, followed by a Q&A
Daughter of The Sea directed by Alexis C. Garcia
This beautifully crafted story is full of visions, dreams, family ties, the pull of home, and the heartache of grief, culminating in a spiritual awakening through a ritual return to the sea. It stars Princess Nokia, whose thoughtful performance shines throughout. See trailer
Death In Training directed by Miguel Angel Duran In this comedy, life in the afterlife is full of challenges for a hapless young trainee who is tasked with collecting one soul in order to become the next Soul Collecter. But when he takes the wrong soul by mistake, all hell breaks loose. See trailer.
In Wonderland directed by Andrea Camacho McCracken
Through the eyes of an 8-year-old Mexican girl who is granted asylum in the US, we see her overwhelmed by the strange place she’s in and the family she doesn’t know. To cope, she escapes to the fantasy world of her favorite book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, journeying through to find an acceptance of her new home. See trailer.
El Paisa directed by Daniel Eduvijes Carrera
After being rescued by a stern vaquero on the streets of East LA, gay goth skater Fernando must put an end to closeted young love, leading to personal transformation. This coming-of-age drama celebrates the unifying notions of family, heartache and Queer identity. See trailer.
The Kill Floor directed by Carlos Avila 27 minutes
When the Covid-19 pandemic engulfs a meatpacking plant in his rural hometown, a young Latinx reporter returns to uncover the urgent and deadly circumstances threatening the plant’s workers—including his father. See trailer.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
SHORT FILM with LIVE MUSICAL SCORE, followed by a Q&A
WORLD PREMIERE: Chicano Moses vs La Bruja de Landers, directed by José Garcia Davis, written by Joe Alvarez, both high desert locals
Live original score performed by Los Poncho Tones
A Los Poncho Tones concert follows the Q&A
A desert vista, a pink cow, a vengeful bruja (witch), and a quartet of fighting luchadores wrestlers—this quirky, humorous, and action-packed short film has it all.
In previous years, the film program of ¡Hay Festival! concentrated on artist documentaries. This year’s concentration on narrative short films opens the door to comedy, fantasy, and drama. “Discovering new films, that explore such a wide variety of experiences, is very gratifying,” says Christy Addis-Gutierrez, Film Program Director for ¡Hay Festival! “We are very proud to screen these films from such talented filmmakers, who show a profound passion and love for their culture and for the art of storytelling.”
This film program was made possible with support from California Humanities, a partner of the NEH. Visit www.calhum.org to learn more.
ABOUT ¡HAY FESTIVAL!
¡Hay Festival! is a festival dedicated to celebrating Chicanx/Latinx culture in all its forms, both traditional and contemporary. Currently in its third year, the festival
explores the culture through music, food, dance, theatre, art, and film. Held each fall at Joshua Tree Retreat Center, the biggest event is the Dia de los Muertos celebration, with a community altar, live music by Mariachi Coachella, face-painting, kids’ activities, and your favorite Mexican foods for purchase. ¡Hay Festival! events are open to all, and most are free to attend. Festival sponsors include Joshua Tree Retreat Center, Latina Dance Project, Joshua Tree Voice, Taylor Junction, Hi-Desert Creative, and Art Crush The film program was made possible with support from California Humanities, a partner of the NEH.
Contact: For press inquiries, email addisgutierrez@ gmail.com
For film stills and event posters, go here.
Website: www.hay-festival.com
Facebook: ¡hayfestival!
Instagram: jt_hayfestival
Film Program Partner: Latina Dance Project
Film Program Director: Christy Addis-Gutierrez
Film Curator: Carlos Avila
Photos provided by ¡Hay Festival!
In Wonderland film still Andrea Camacho McCracken
El Paisa film still director Daniel Eduvijes Carrera
Death in Training film still director Miguel Angel Duran
On the World Stage,
California Tribal Leaders Call on President Biden to Designate National Monuments
in the Face of Unprecedented Threats to Biodiversity
On October 23, 2004, Tribal leaders from throughout California called on President Biden to designate three new national monuments in the state in order to protect sacred Tribal lands and cultural landscapes and imperiled biodiversity. Tribal members issued their call to action from Cali, Colombia, where they are participating in the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (COP16). The three proposed national monuments include Sáttítla National Monument, Chuckwalla National Monument, and Kw’tsán National Monument.
“For too long, the world has treated Indigenous voices like a footnote in the climate debate, ignoring our deep connections and knowledge of our homelands,” said Brandy McDaniels, Lead, Sáttítla National Monument Campaign, Pit River Nation, and participant at COP16. “But at COP16, we’re making it clear—our fight to protect our Ancestral homelands since time immemorial is a global fight. Whether it’s California or Colombia, we’re all facing the same biodiversity and climate crises while continuing to defend our
sacred homelands from being industrialized, exploited, and disregarded. COP is an opportunity to exchange knowledge and learn from others about how we can work together to address these challenges in a timely and impactful way. We hope the Biden administration, and leaders worldwide, leave this gathering with a renewed sense of urgency and a commitment to turn these vital conversations into action, including protecting places like Sáttítla as a national monument.”
National monuments are designated to permanently protect federal lands and waters in the United States with cultural, historical, ecological, and scientific values. Designating the three proposed monuments would protect thousands of plant and animal species in the state with the highest risks of extinction in the United States. Thanks to a 1906 law called the Antiquities Act, the president can establish new national monuments with a Presidential Proclamation. Tribes are advocating for these designations as a way to permanently protect places of great cultural significance and biodiversity. They are also calling for the opportunity to co-steward
their homelands in partnership with federal agencies.
“Indigenous people have waited long enough for our demands about protecting biodiversity to be taken seriously by state and federal governments,” said Lena Ortega, Kw’tsán Cultural Committee Member, Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe and participant at COP16. “For us it’s about more than protecting the environment. Our culture, spirituality, and identity are connected to the ecosystems our people have inhabited for thousands of years. If a species goes extinct, if a mountain is destroyed by mining, if a river runs dry due to over-extraction - that is the same thing to us as losing a relative or having someone close to us harmed. We lose a part of ourselves and our history. We are here at COP16 to ensure our voices are being heard as we call for a national monument for our homelands - Kw’tsán National Monument - and to help amplify the voices of global Indigenous communities who are in the same fight as us to preserve our culture for future generations. We are here to stand up for the many nonhuman beings that cannot speak for
Photo credit: Bob Wick, Chuckwalla Mule Mountains Wildflowers
themselves, and who teach us every day how to live in balance with the natural world.”
California’s national monument opportunities will be prominently highlighted at COP16, with Tribal leaders from California participating in discussions with Indigenous leaders from other countries and highlighting the critical role of Indigenous leadership in biodiversity conservation and sustainable stewardship practices. Scientists worldwide agree that by 2030, we must protect at least 30% of the planet’s lands and coastal waters to curb extinction rates and prevent the most severe impacts of climate change (referred to as the 30x30 goal). These proposed national monument designations would contribute significantly to the 30x30 goal set forth by both the Biden administration and the state of California. The focus of COP16 is the implementation of the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which in 2022 established 23 targets to protect nature, including the global goal to protect at least 30% of the Earth’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.
Each monument designation would conserve habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife and plants that are found nowhere else in the world. The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument, for example, is home to more than 50 species that are threatened, endangered, sensitive, or otherwise of concern. The area also contains several endemic species, found nowhere else in the world. The preservation of this landscape is critical for the survival of native species in the face of climate change-related habitat loss, warming temperatures, and increased drought.
“The Desert is a rich tapestry of our heritage; it’s a living, breathing testament to our people’s resilience, our history, and our spiritual connection with nature,” said Chairman Thomas Tortez Jr. of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, who added his perspective from California. “Our footprints have been etched into the landscape since the beginning of time and we continue to provide stewardship over these lands and advocate for their protection. This profound bond is why we urge President Biden to establish the Chuckwalla National Monument.”
As President Biden approaches the end of his term, these designations present an opportunity to cement his significant conservation legacy and deliver on key priorities for his administration and tribal nations in California. To date, President Biden has designated five new national monuments and expanded two, protecting over 1.6 million acres of public lands using the Antiquities Act. With additional designations, President Biden can secure an immense achievement: protecting more public lands using the Antiquities Act of any recent president in their first four years in office. Below are additional descriptions of each proposed monument.
Chuckwalla National Monument: The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument includes approximately 627,000 acres of public lands in Riverside and Imperial
Counties. It is located south of Joshua Tree National Park and reaches from the Coachella Valley region in the west to near the Colorado River in the East. This effort also proposes protecting approximately 17,000 acres of public lands in the Eagle Mountains adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park. Six Tribes have called on President Biden to protect this cultural landscape: the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, the Cahuilla Band of Indians, the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, and the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians.
Sáttítla National Monument: The proposed Sáttítla National Monument includes over 200,000 acres of culturally significant, ecologically rich, and geologically unique land within the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath, and Modoc National Forests in northeastern California. Since time immemorial, the Pit River Nation has regarded Sáttítla as sacred, and this area remains a spiritual center for the Pit River and Modoc Nations as well as for surrounding Tribal Peoples. This sacred land remains integral to the cultural identity and spiritual practices of these peoples today. The Pit River Tribe initiated the call for this national monument and has been working for generations to protect this landscape from the threat of industrial development.
Kw’tsán National Monument: The Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe has called on President Biden to designate the proposed Kw’tsán National Monument to protect more than 390,000 acres of the Tribe’s homelands in Imperial County. The proposed monument is part of a greater cultural landscape that connects to the Chuckwalla National Monument and the previously designated Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in Nevada. National monument status for Kw’tsán would provide protections for cultural and sacred sites and prevent new mining claims and large industrial development within its boundaries.
Photo credit: Bob Wick, Chuckwalla Mule Mountains Wildflowers
Photo credit: Bob Wick, kwtsan WaterLandscape
Photo credit:
Bob Wick, kwtsan Rugged Mountain
15th Annual Copper Mountain College Foundation Festival Of Wreaths Set To Kick Of The Holiday Season
Join a local tradition - the Copper Mountain College Foundation’s Festival of Wreaths - a cherished tradition in the Morongo Basin since 2010. This year, the Bell Center will be transformed into a winter wonderland on Sunday, November 24, 2024, promising an unforgettable afternoon filled with festive cheer.
“This year’s Festival of Wreaths carries special significance as we remember Dr. Roger Wagner, the founder of our wreath auction and former Superintendent/President of the Copper Mountain Community College District, who recently passed away,” explained Sandy Smith, Executive Director of the Copper Mountain College Foundation. “Fifteen years ago, Dr. Wagner envisioned this signature event as a celebration of the holidays, bringing together local businesses, organizations, and individuals to showcase their creativity and generosity through beautiful wreath donations.
Proceeds from this year’s event will be directed to the Dr. Roger W. Wagner Fund at Copper Mountain College, a fund dedicated to investing in people.” More than 45 local businesses, service clubs, and individuals will showcase their creativity by crafting magnificent one-of-a-kind wreaths, centerpieces, and trees— all available for purchase to benefit the students of Copper Mountain College.
For just $10 (available at the door or online at http:// weblink.donorperfect.com/cmcfow), guests can immerse themselves in the holiday spirit. Enjoy festive music, delicious bites, and the company of friends before the live auction kicks off at 3 p.m.
The auction features not only stunning wreaths but also delightful items filled with gift cards, jewelry, electronics, dining experiences, and more! Additionally, guests can participate in a silent auction, a raffle wreath, a dessert auction, and a holiday card sale featuring seasonal artwork created by our talented college students. The annual holiday card art competition at CMC that features student artwork on the college’s official holiday cards, received an award at the California CCPRO.
Dave Koz
27 Years of Memories Coming to The McCallum Theater
in Palm Desert, December 22, 2024
By Benjamin Lolwing
The splendid gift of memories comes in all shapes and sizes and has the ability to invoke in us a kaleidoscope of emotions of varying colors and hues. As we enter a season rich with memories, both joyful and bittersweet, we’re reminded of how the power of music connects us to the past in a way that creates lasting moments with loved ones.
The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert holds a special place in my heart. It was there, so many years ago, that my father, who passed away 10
Decembers ago, took me to my very first concert. On Sunday evening, December 22nd of this year, hundreds of excited fans, with their loved ones in tow, will file through those same McCallum Theatre doors, eager to see the legendary Dave Koz and Friends, making precious new memories of their own. Remarkably, Dave Koz and Friends have defied the challenges of the music industry over an impressive span of 27 years. Dave Koz (born into a Jewish family, mind you) is celebrating the 27th anniversary edition of the longest running, jazz-based Christmas tour around.
When asked about the impressive longevity of his tour, he admittedly said, “Yeah I don’t know how it’s possible, especially because I’m only 32.” Then, with only a slightly more serious tone, he continued, “It is a bit of a head scratcher for
me too, I don’t know how we got here, 27 years, for a nice Jewish boy with a saxophone. I think it’s because, in a fast-changing world where everything is spiraling out of one’s control at any time, the holidays come around every year with a chance to go back to nostalgia, to the things we love and always come back to... kinda like that old sweater that you know you should throw out but you don’t, because it’s holey, yet it’s got that warmth and comfort. That’s what the music is… it’s kind of like the comfort food you want to have every year. I think that’s probably one of the main reasons why we’ve been consistent over the years. We’ve also got this incredible loyal following that keeps coming back.”
“I remember seeing people bring their little kids,” Koz continued. “Now their kids are grown up and bringing their kids. It’s amazing to sit back and look at the generational changes that we’ve seen over the years. I get to hear a lot of stories…I meet people after the shows… but one of the things that I really love, is hearing about people who have brought their families, their parents. Some of their parents have passed, and yet they still come to the show. It’s almost like, when you close the doors and the lights go down and the show starts, it becomes, in a sense, a place of worship. I don’t mean to equate it with being in a synagogue or church or anything, but it’s a beautiful experience.” Bringing back memories of loved ones, whether they’re triggered by the smell of a favorite home cooked comfort food, or by a special song, we cherish any opportunity we can to relive those moments. Honoring the memories of loved ones who have passed was the very instigation of the tour, Koz explained. “This whole tour started in 1997 after my dad passed away. My good friend, David Benoit, who was the cocreator, had just lost his mom. I was interviewing him for my radio show, and he said, ‘I don’t know what to do. What are we going to do with all these emotions?’ It was the first time either of us had lost a parent. It was his idea. He said, ‘Why don’t we go and do a few shows and this way we can honor our parents musically?’ That turned into our Christmas Tour, and here we are all these years later. In the DNA of the tour itself is this emotional piece that resonates with people and keeps them coming back.”
Koz went on to explain how his tour handles the wide array of feelings that are dredged up during this time of year. “I love the holidays, but I recognize the fact that it’s not all pleasing and fun and merriment for people. The holidays bring up a lot of raw emotions in people. So, in our show, there’s a lot of fun, but there’s moments of poignancy where we access the sense of loss and the impermanence of life. We understand, as we get older, how transitory life is, and how important it is to be in this moment, to relish the moment for the joy that it is. Even if it’s a sad moment, to be present for that, and to feel all the emotions associated.”
Emotions, like good food and music, are best shared with friends. For this tour Dave Koz and Friends features guitarist/singer Jonathan Butler with special guest’s saxophonist Vincent Ingala, guitarist Adam Hawley, and vocalist Rebecca Jade. Together, they plan on performing Christmas classics plus a Hanukah medley, as well as other hits from each artist’s respective catalogues. There will be songs for those who celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, and even songs for those of us who might not celebrate either.
Celebrations and traditions vary from family to family, in so many unique and different ways. One thing that is universally agreed upon though, is the appreciation for the opportunity that this time of year affords us to spend more time with our loved ones. Hopefully, we will all take a much-needed pause from our busy lives, to make new precious memories with the loved ones we still have with us. Then, as our emotions allow, take the time to flip through and gaze upon the photo albums of our minds and hearts, to keep honoring and tightly clinging to the memories of the loved ones we so dearly miss.
More about Dave Koz: Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: 9 GRAMMY® nominations, 12 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, performances for multiple U.S. presidents, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and more. This California native isn’t just an accomplished Platinumselling artist, he’s also a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host, and instrumental music advocate. In May 2024, Dave Koz and Friends at Sea sailed to Greece, Malta, and Sicily on two sold-out voyages. Koz has raised over two million dollars to date for Starlight Children’s Foundation through his Dave Koz and Friends at Sea silent auctions and his network of fans. 2025 summer sailing dates and itineraries for his jazz cruises are now available.
Whether it’s at the McCallum or at sea, let’s make new memories with Dave Koz and Friends. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.davekoz.com/tour
Adam Hawley
Rebecca Jade
Jonathan Butler - by Raj Naik
Alien Probe psychedelic rock educational theater
FBI PRESS RELEASE: A UFO recently shot down over Wonder Valley contained guitars, a drum set, theramin, conga drum, saxophone, tamborine, hula hoop and a megaphone. Recent alien sightings have been reported all over the HiDesert… from the JT Trading Post to the Palms. These extraterrestrial hooligans have not only been witnessed shredding, pounding and hooping, they have been heard educating locals about UFOlogy, Giant Rock, the Integratron and alien probing… among other controversial and wild spacey subjects. This out of this world, spontaneous psychedelic rock-n-roll spew should be considered very dangerous to the status quo. Beware!
A message from your local water providers:
Joshua Basin Water District, Hi-Desert Water District, Bighorn Desert-View Water Agency, Mojave Water Agency, and 29 Palms Water District
A message from your local water providers: Joshua Basin Water District, Hi-Desert Water District, Bighorn Desert-View Water Agency, Mojave Water Agency, and 29 Palms Water District
Photo Credit Alice Jones (b/w pic)
The Beat Farmers to play Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown
Saturday, December 21
San Diego Americana legends, The Beat Farmers, will be making their debut at the legendary Pioneertown venue Pappy + Harriet’s on Saturday, December 21st. This will mark the first time ever that the band has performed in the high desert.
The surviving members of the classic 80s and 90s Beat Farmers’ line-up, Jerry Raney, Joey Harris and Rolle Love, along with drummer Joel “Bongo” Kmak, are very excited about playing this storied venue in the California hi-desert.
The Beat Farmers were a big part of the 1980s Roots Rock/Americana movement that included Los Lobos, The Blasters, Lone Justice and Rand and File, to name a few, and are continuously mentioned as a major influence on many of the acts on the current American scene.
They officially broke up in 1995, following the untimely death of drummer Country Dick Montana, who died on stage in British Columbia, Canada during a Beat Farmers show. They eventually formed their own
bands that play regularly in and around the San Diego area, but there was always a constant demand by the fans for a Beat Farmers reunion.
The demand to reunite became so great that they started having an annual reunion event every January in San Diego called The Beat Farmers Hootenanny, which would bring the band back together for one night to do a classic Beat Farmers set and would also include a variety of guest performers. This annual reunion led to an invitation from the popular Sirius/ XM Radio Outlaw Country channel, to be a part of their Outlaw Country Cruise, which included a who’s who of classic Americana bands and artists.
What always set The Beat Farmers apart from any other band was (and still is) their amazing, take no prisoners, live show. It was these early shows that got them signed to their first record deal with Rhino Records that resulted in their 1985 classic debut album, Tales Of The New West. Tales Of The New West was reissued in 2021 and received one of the Top Reissues of the Year honors by the New York Times.
With their 2023 and 2024 Northern California Road Trips, as well as a couple Outlaw Country cruises and another Hootenanny, under their belt and the demand for classic Americana music at an all-time high, The Beat Farmers are primed and ready to get up to Pioneertown and do what they do best, play a legendary show that will be talked about forever, or at least until they return!
Opening the show is Wonder Valley resident Ben Vaughn and his band The Ben Vaughn Ensemble. As a performer, he plays live shows in the U.S. and Europe and has released fourteen albums to date. Vaughn also composed the award-winning music for 3rd Rock From The Sun and That ‘70s Show. He can be heard weekly as the host of his nationally syndicated radio show, The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn.
Scan the QR Code for tickets or go to: https://wl.seetickets.us/event/the-beat-farmers/6188 26?afflky=pappyandharriets
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Open Mic Night Every Sunday. Jasmine & Lorenzo Every Friday For event listings, visit: spaghettiwesternsaloon.com
Friday, Nov 1: A StageFright Goth Halloween Show
Sat., Nov 2: Halloween at The Palms with The Skeleton Crew sketch comedy and live music by Sailor Ripley Fridays 11/8, 1/15, 11/22, 11/9:
Grey Hill’s Open Mic 6:40 sign-ups, show at 7 pm, no cover Sat, Nov. 16th: Chris and Ami’s Wedding Party (all are welcome!) with Smashing Muffins and The High ‘70’s
Sat, Nov. 23: Pat Kearns and Friends Sat., Nov 30: Joe Chaplain’s Neil Young tribute show For
83131 Amboy Rd, Wonder Valley 760-361-2810 palmsliveevents@gmail.com
GIANT ROCK MEETING ROOM
For event listings, visit: giantrockmeetingroom.com
visit: pappyandharriets.com
Dance Mojave Presents The Desert Nutcracker, A Holiday Tradition With A Desert Twist
Dance Mojave presents The Desert Nutcracker with three performances running December 6, 7, and 8, 2024 at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center Sanctuary. The production features choreography from Ella Crowe, Melissa Daniels, Jenn Henry, Barbara Koch, Rebecca Plevin, Lauren Slivosky, Nicole Tarro, Alex Valdivia and Eva Vargas. With more than 60 local dancers of all ages, the production captures the beauty and quirks of desert living. Expect park rangers, unprepared hikers, and local wildlife like chuckwalla, rattlesnake, coyotes, quail, and roadrunners, complete with a sandstorm and a super bloom culminating in the beautiful dark sky famous in the region.
“The Nutcracker” is a holiday classic, and our adaptation is an ode to life in the hi-desert,” said Co-Artistic Director, Lauren Slivosky. “We pay homage to the wild land we call home through the story, characters, and visuals. This show is not to be missed by nature lovers and theater lovers alike!”
“This production is a true team effort,” said Executive/Co-Artistic Director Jenn Henry. “We are so grateful for the participation of our community, including a custom mural set piece painted by local artist Zach JF Boyles and generous donations from local businesses. Thanks to these donations, all cast members ages 1 to 61 are able to participate in the production and weekly company technique class without cost.”
Please join Dance Mojave at the following public events:
Laster Sanctuary - Nutcracker Showcase Fundraiser: November 23, 2024, 2 p.m.
Spaghetti Western - Cocktail Hour Fundraiser: November 23, 2024, 4 p.m.
Be sure to get your tickets for The Desert Nutcracker, available starting October 31 for $25! Seating is limited, so advance purchase on Eventbrite is recommended at https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/the-desertnutcracker-2024-3779513
For more information, please visit: http://www.instagram.com/dancemojave
ABOUT DANCE MOJAVE
Dance Mojave is a collective of dancers and creative movement artists in California’s beautiful Morongo Basin.
Photos by: Nick Michaela
DOWN ON THE CORNER
Adventures In Busking And Street Music by Cary Baker
“Reading Cary Baker’s excellent book on busking brought back memories of when I was in The Blasters and how our band arguments usually ended one of two ways: either with fists and tears or with my brother Phil loudly proclaiming that he was the only guy in the group who could walk outside and make a living by singing on street corners. Cary’s exhaustive research and passionate reporting show not only why my brother was proud to have been a busker, but it also makes a solid case why busking is as much of a part of the history of American roots music as record labels, juke joints, and lost highways.”
Dave Alvin, Renowned American guitarist and founder of the Blasters whose music blends rockabilly, blues, country, and rock & roll.
Anyone who has lived in or travelled through a city has encountered street musicians. Singers often accompanying themselves on guitar or other instruments, playing the sidewalks, parks and subway stations. Perhaps you’ve tossed a quarter, or a dollar bill, or even $5 into the tip jar or open guitar case. But did you ever wonder who these people are – why they opted to make the streets their stage, and whether if any of them had gone on to make it in the music industry? Some of the performers he features – Lucinda Williams, Billy Bragg, the Violent Femmes – went on to become international stars; others settled into the curbs, sidewalks, and Tube stations as their workplace for the duration of their careers.
Drawing on years of interviews and eyewitness accounts, Down On The Corner: Adventures in Busking and Street Music – due out November 12, 2024, from Jawbone Press – explores street singers in a myriad of musical genres, from folk to rock ’n’ roll, blues to bluegrass, doo-wop to indie rock. He also surveys busking hotspots – New Orleans’ French Quarter, Chicago’s Maxwell Street, New York’s Washington Square, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and London’s Tube, to name a few
About Cary Baker:
Cary Baker is a writer based in the Southern California desert. Born on Chicago’s South Side, he began his writing career at age 16 with an on-spec feature about Chicago street singer Blind Arvella Gray for the Chicago Reader. His return to writing follows a 42-year hiatus during which Baker, by 1984 based in Los Angeles, directed publicity for six labels (including Capitol and I.R.S.) and two of his own companies, working with acclaimed artists and labels such as R.E.M., Bonnie Raitt, the Smithereens, James McMurtry, the Mavericks, Bobby Rush, Willie Nile, and Omnivore Recordings. Prior to his PR years, Baker wrote for the Chicago Reader, Creem, Trouser Press, Bomp!, Goldmine, Billboard, Mix, Illinois Entertainer, and Record magazine. He has also produced and/or write liner notes for historical reissues from Universal, Capitol-EMI, Numero Group and Omnivore. He has been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 1979.
Baker is a featured author at the Twentynine Palm Book Festival and will moderate a panel of California- and desert-based authors of music books on Saturday, November 9 at 4 p.m. at the Twentynine Palms Community Center at Freedom Plaza.
For the first time, veteran journalist and music industry publicist, Cary Baker, tells the complete history of these musicians and the music they play, from tin cups and toonies to QR codes and PayPal. Joshua Tree locals will be delighted to find chapters on Victoria Williams and Tim Easton, both of whose music has become part of our culture.
Baker explains his longtime affinity for street music: “One day around 1970, my father said he’d like to take me to Maxwell Street Market, an open-air flea market adjacent to Downtown Chicago. He wanted to show me where his parents used to take him shopping as a child. When he parked his car in the University of Illinois lot,
the first thing I heard, long before I could see where it was coming from, was the sound of a slide guitar – not just any guitar but a National steel resonator guitar. We followed the music and found ourselves standing on the west side of Halsted Street, midway between Roosevelt and Maxwell, where Blind Arvella Gray was playing the folk/blues song ‘John Henry’ – a song that seemed to have no beginning and no end. In that moment, I developed a lifelong affinity for the informality, spontaneity, and audience participation of busking.”
The foreword was written by Dom Flemons, who as a member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops won a Grammy Award for the album Genuine Negro Jig, and who has since been nominated for two of his own albums. He’s also received a Blues Music Award. Flemons has busked in New York City, the Carolinas, Europe, and his native Phoenix, where temperatures frequently soar north of 100. “If you are a good busker,” he writes, “you can bring the crowd, give them a thrill and finally disperse everyone in a timely manner with a few extra dollars in your hat.”
Layla was born in Huntington Beach, grew up in the Palm Springs area, is a bit of a Southern California wanderer having lived in many communities across Orange County, LA County and is now a happy resident of the Joshua Tree area. She is an alumnus of Chapman University in Orange and earned a Master of Arts in Special Education. She is currently a realtor but in her spare time enjoys writing poetry and prose. Layla is inspired by the complexities of life, ancient stories and the mysterious beauty of the desert. She lives in Yucca Valley with her daughter, wife, Tabby Cat, two Buff Orpingtons and three Easter Egger chickens.
PC: Layla Ortiz-Thorson
The Belly of a Valley
By: Layla Ortiz-Thorson
We are a part of something, something we are a part of nothing, Nothing.
Running to or running from Running, running, running In the belly of the valley
Surrounded by the shoulder Mountains and open skies
Is it safe or a lie
Am I too stupid to cry Too uncooperative to die
We are a part of something, something we are a part of nothing, Nothing.
Running to or running from Running, running, running In the belly of the valley
Surrounded by the shoulder Mountains and open skies
Kiss me slowly
While I take a dive
Off temperamental water falls
There is a spirit that Will eat your soul
And never let you go
Taq shhh
Taq shh
Tag shh
I am full
Let it go
Taq shhha
To have your poetry published in our Poetry Corner, submit your piece (300 words max). If you like (please know, it’s not mandatory), include a short three-line bio introducing yourself, a photo of your inspiration, and/or a photo of yourself along with your composition to PoetryCorner@ JoshuaTreeVoice.com
Please understand that submitting does not guarantee publication.
James O’Keefe Desert Hard-Edge Painter
How can I say the most, in a way that appears the least?
- James O’Keefe
By Katie Nartonis
The paintings of James O’Keefe (Chris to friends - a long story) pair a tender brushstroke with the hard-edge use of juxtaposed color. He reinvents the use of the outer frame, incorporating it as a sculptural element. O’Keefe identifies as a minimalist artist, so everything for him is about the pure use of color and pared down design. By reducing down the components of a work, and taking a less-is-more approach, the artist notes that for him “there always seems to be more and more answers to find.”
After 30 years spent living and working on the rainy Oregon coast, O’Keefe and his wife Nan were looking for a dry place to spend the winter months. After a
trip to Arizona, they detoured through the California desert town of Joshua Tree. They happened to stop in front of a real estate office, and an art supply store. Nan checked out the art supplies and Jim walked into the real estate office.
It was 2009, and the mortgage crisis was in full swing. They were able to purchase a bank-owned lovely allseason house, on three acres with mountain views. They now spend their summers in Oregon and winter here in Joshua Tree. In 2011, James built his desert painting studio and he joined the local Joshua Tree Art gallery (JTAG), a cooperative artist venture.
He first explores new ideas with his sketch book, creating working drawings and a loose framework of ideas. Later, he reviews his sketchbook with a fresh eye to determine which would make effective paintings. In the past, he would build the surface of the painting and its shape first, and then began to think about color. More recently, he has been selecting the primary color first and experimenting by tinting it in different directions before he constructs the structural elements.
These are the more routine aspects of his process. On a deeper level, the artists’ process is about taking a deep and well considered look at all stages of image making. He explains that “in painting, (the work) involves shape, color, paint application, texture and dimensionality.” Any one of these disparate elements can inspire the ultimate direction of the finished piece.
O’Keefe reflects on his artistic journey, “I think at the age of 78, I am getting closer to knowing. I ask myself, how many years did I spend making art before I could really say or believe that I was an artist? I remember when I was in art school how uncomfortable I felt in my studio at times, and I think it took me many years to get used to the isolation of a practice. It took me many more years to deal with doubt and confidence issues. There were times of very intense and passionate directions and work production that in retrospect don’t look all that interesting to me anymore. The key to remaining an artist is to keep working, regardless of success or failure.” O’Keefe has indeed created a strong body of sophisticated work through insight and perseverance.
Katie Nartonis is an art + design specialist, writer, curator and documentary film maker. Her latest book, “California Desert Artists” will be featured at the upcoming 29PBF: TwentyNine Palms Book Festival on November 8 + 9. Her upcoming curated exhibit “Garry Knox Bennett: Crafting the Counter Culture” opens at the Maloof Foundation during Palm Springs Modernism Week, 2025.
REVOCABLE LIVING TRUSTS*
*Created
Copper Mountain College Issues Call for Proposals for Spring Semester 2025 Community Education courses
The Community Education program at Copper Mountain College is issuing a call for proposals for Spring Semester 2025 courses. Community Education at CMC features instructors from our community sharing their expertise with residents of the hi-desert. Courses can range from single sessions to packages of multiple sessions and may cover a broad range of topics. Instructors are highly qualified and passionate about sharing their knowledge with the community.
Previous CMC Community Education courses have included dance and movement; yoga; vocal technique; acting; film directing; screenwriting; film producing; intergenerational interviewing and storytelling; writing; sea shanties; desert history; generative AI and AI art; health, breathwork and self-care; computer aided drafting and design; tarot card reading; and, information and communication technology for small business.
Instructors interested in teaching a Community Education course can browse previous courses online at www.cmccd.edu/fall-2024 where there is a full listing of courses from Fall 2024. To submit a proposal, please visit: www.cmccd.edu/academics/ community-education. For additional questions on Community Education at CMC or how to teach a course, please contact Mariana Wright at mwright@ cmccd.edu. Community Education course proposals for Spring Semester 2025 are due December 14. Spring Semester Community Education courses begin February 24, 2025.
Leading AI expert, Phil Bosua, instructor for the Infinite Dreams: AI Art class, offered this in this fall’s Community Education program here at CMC
Twentynine palms book festival returns november 8-9
The Twentynine Palms Book Festival (29PBF) is back for its second edition, bringing together over 90 established, emerging, and local authors and poets. Set for November 8 and 9 at the Twentynine Palms Community Center by Freedom Plaza, the festival promises two days of vibrant activities, discussions, and exclusive events. This year, the festival expands its focus to include the complexities of crime fiction while continuing to celebrate the literary richness of the Mojave Desert.
Twentynine Palms has a short but rugged history, shaped by pioneers, Indigenous communities, and a strong military presence. Central to the festival’s mission is honoring this legacy and establishing a cultural tradition that celebrates the area’s rich past and its pioneer spirit. In addition to literary activities, the festival embraces and showcases the town’s stories, aiming to create a lasting cultural footprint through its vibrant programs.
Festival Highlights
• Live Sessions & Meet the Authors: The festival features engaging panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and readings. Attendees can explore the Young Readers Zone, Meet the Authors and Book Signing area, independent authors’ showcase, Beer and Bagel Garden, and a multimedia stage for live sessions.
• Never Underestimate the Desert: A special program exploring desert literature, Indigenous storytelling, environmental preservation, and the impact of wildfires.
• Desert Literary Showcase & Happy Poetry Hour: Celebrating local and visiting writers and poets in informal and lively settings.
• Shoot in 29 Palms: Showcasing 19 stories from attending authors, ideal for filming in and around Twentynine Palms.
• Peripheral Events: Highlights include Noir in the Boneyard, Red Light Lit, and Mojave Noir, culminating in Hollywood Meets the Desert, a networking event for authors, filmmakers, and local production talent.
• The complete festival agenda is available on 29pbf.com.
• The festival is organized by Desert General, a local gift, clothing accessories, and bookstore located in Twentynine Palms’ Tin Town by Kitchen in the Desert, with support from the Visit 29 Palms Sponsorship and Event Grant Program.
Twentynine Palms Rotary Welcomes District Governor
The Rotary Club of Twentynine Palms welcomed their District Governor and saw one of their members honored at their meeting of October 23.
Rotary District 5330 includes 60 Rotary Clubs in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties with over 1,800 members. The District Governor, Judy Zulfiqar, of the Temecula Rotary Club, visited the Twentynine Palms club to meet with their Board and members. In her remarks, she emphasized the impact Rotary has personally, locally and globally.
After a session with the board where she offered district assistance with their local community service projects and planning, Zulfiqar called Rotarian Sandy Smith, the club’s treasurer, to the podium for unique recognition. Smith had been selected by President P.J. Welch to be named as a “Rotary Hero” for her impact on the Club and her community. Smith is the executive director of the Copper Mountain College Foundation. Welch referred to Smiths travels, literally all over the world, in support of Rotary and its principle of “Service Above Self”. Smith has participated in global vocational and leadership training over the years that have taken her to many cities and countries.
Where the Crew Ate
Grnd Sqrl
By Ray Rodriguez
A heaping portion of our friends and neighbors, indeed our culture, are fascinated with dining out. As a lifelong restaurateur, people often approach me with questions about specific places or dining in general.
Given the increasing quality and expanse of “high desert vittles” versus print limitations, this column is our attempt to highlight more tasty spots than we might otherwise, with respect for ever tightening restaurant marketing budgets. There is no “pay to play”, just us gratefully eating our way through the Morongo Basin.
Before we get started on this month’s “kitchen crawl” please understand the prejudice brought to the task:
I eat out to enjoy. Bring me the wrong order, if it seems an honest mistake and no one else is waiting for the dish, I will most likely just devour it. Except liver, the heck with liver.
People don’t know I’m involved with Joshua Tree Voice. I blend in with the working world so well that people regularly give me the “do you work here” look, or just flat out ask me to park their cars, seat them, or get their golf clubs. And I always do, politely and quickly, it’s fun.
Ray Rodriguez, Principal for Joshua Tree Voice, has been a successful businessman and restaurateur in the desert for over 30 years as well as a lifetime community and civic leader.
GRND SQRL, 29 Palms
Publisher Lisa was so taken by the hullabaloo celebrating the Schnitzel there was no denying her, so we headed into 29. I admit that GRND SQRL owner Mike Usher’s recent collaboration with Joel Pettersson and Eric Smith in nearby 29 Palms Beer Company was of more interest to me, particularly given the hiring of Brew Master Ed Heethuis.
Sure, I had heard of Schnitzel, meat pounded thin, breaded, lightly fried and sauced, but had always favored other Deutschland specialties like Brautwurst and fried onions or sauerkraut. Gotta have that pickled cabbage, and so good for us! But “when in Rome”, so two Schnitzel plates it was, and not one bit left on either plate. Cudos to Swedish born Chef Joel Pettersson! After a lifetime of dining, it’s still nice to expand one’s horizons, and the accompaniments proved tasty surprises as well.
With other creatively named dishes like “The Stumps, The Jalla, The Dank House Salad, alongside Bavarian Pretzels, Wings and Pickles, and featuring the partnership brews of the 29 Palms Beer Company makes GRND SQRL an inviting stop. Did I mention the cool merch, the solid service and that you will likely run into friends at the bar? Go.
Rounding Out the Month Sooo many wonderful meals at Spaghetti Western, Morongo. Jasmine and Lorenzo hail from Italy and it shows. They are also riveting musical performers, as if bringing this impressively large full-service restaurant, electric stage, lively bar and banquet facility to a better life than ever imagined weren’t enough. Catch Live music on the weekend, Open mic on Sunday or just eat there anytime and know “amore” on a plate. I love this place.
Hadn’t stopped by Country Kitchen, Joshua Tree in several months, but enjoyed two breakfasts recently with creative empresario Rolo Castillo and all I can say is, “I had the special apple pancakes both times, and I NEVER order pancakes.” There were 4 of us the second time, including Retreat Center CEO Terry and Publisher Lisa, and we stayed an hour longer than intended, such is the easy vibe.
Please stop into Coyote Cone, Morongo and enjoy lip smacking locally made ice cream. The coffees are great as well. Fun merch. I have taken everyone who rides with me there. A favorite of Granddaughter Riley’s. Take some home and take more than you think you need. You will be tempted to eat more on the way home. Buy gift certificates, how else can you bring delight to someone’s day for just $10? Get a lot of them, you will run out and you will want to bring others joy.
Next month we will feature The Restaurant at 29 Palms Inn, Crossroads Cafe, The Dez’s (yep there are two), Just a Small Town Grill, and a place you would never guess.
