By John Annarino It all began in 2003 when Seamus “Jim” McDonnell walked into a flower shop the day after Mother’s Day and asked if he could have the leftovers. The florist was glad to be rid of them, and McDonnell was more than glad to present them to six bed-ridden widows in his hospice care. The flowers did more than brighten their day. The flowers were therapeutic and were accepted with tears of joy. From such humble beginnings, McDon- nell created a nonprofit charity called the Flower Bank. Seven days a week he and his volunteers deliver flowers to Coachella Val- ley seniors in hospices, nursing homes and care centers. So far this year the Flower Bank has delivered about 500,000 flowers. “I’m addicted to kindness,” said McDon- nell, a registered nurse and respiratory therapist. “Feeling old and sick is no fun, but feeling neglected is worse.” He has scientific support. Rutgers Uni- versity researchers have found that flowers have a remarkable power to improve emo- tional health. Simply being in the presence of flowers was found to elevate a person’s mood and measurably increase positive so- cial behavior. The Rutgers behavioral sci- ence team concluded that flowers are so potent that they can become a viable treat- ment option for mild forms of depression, stress and anxiety Daily deliveries Starting at 7 a.m., McDonnell and his volunteers call on Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and other supermarkets to pick up the flowers and plants that will be “repur- posed.” Then they make deliveries to more than 30 care facilities. “Whole Foods recently donated 200 or- chids,” said McDonnell. “Those orchids made 200 sick and lonely people very happy.” McDonnell once filled an entire room with roses for an ailing elderly woman. An- other patient who had mentioned how much she liked sunflowers awakened one morning to find her room filled with sun- flowers. Volunteer Judie Stone said, “Atria Ha- cienda in Palm Desert is one of the retire- ment homes I deliver to. The flowers have become such a big part of the residents’ lives that Atria initiated a flower-arranging class.” Lisa Stevens, a social worker at the Ran- cho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Cen- ter, said she has seen faces light up when they know “the flower man is coming.” “I’m frequently stopped for a hug and a kiss on the cheek,” said the personable Flower Bank founder. “Any wonder I’ve got- ten carried away and have spent $40,000 of my own money to keep the Flower Bank going. Out of necessity, I’ve started looking for funding. I keep thinking how much more I could do with additional funds.” Renaissance man Until he was 10 years old, McDonnell lived in a housing project in Boston’s Southie district. It was written up as the poorest white neighborhood in America. When the family moved to Templeton Street in Dorchester it wasn’t much better. The street developed such a poor reputa- tion that the city finally renamed it. As an electronics major in high school, he repaired respiratory equipment, which led to studying respiratory therapy at Boston’s LaBore College and nursing at More than 40,000 readers throughout the Coachella Valley COMPLIMENTARY VOL.3, NO.12 IN FOCUS FOR PEOPLE OVER 50 DECEMBER 2014 The healing power of flowers See FLOWERS page 25 PHOTO BY BILL MARCHESE INSIDE… The Coachella Valley Jim McDonnell has collected and donated free flowers for the past 11 years, driving more than 30,000 miles a year around the Coachella Valley. FITNESS & HEALTH 4 k Three easy desert hikes k Help for thinning hair LAW & MONEY 12 k Why Canadians love CV k Year-end tax moves PLUS BEACON BITS & MORE ARTS & STYLE Sinatra Lodge offers a song with your supper; plus, Architecture and Design Center opens its doors page 23 LEISURE & TRAVEL Celebrate the holidays in historic San Diego; plus, a walking tour through picturesque Tuscany page 19
Transcript
By John AnnarinoIt all began in 2003 when Seamus “Jim”
McDonnell walked into a flower shop theday after Mother’s Day and asked if hecould have the leftovers.
The florist was glad to be rid of them,and McDonnell was more than glad topresent them to six bed-ridden widows inhis hospice care. The flowers did morethan brighten their day. The flowers weretherapeutic and were accepted with tearsof joy.
From such humble beginnings, McDon-nell created a nonprofit charity called theFlower Bank. Seven days a week he and hisvolunteers deliver flowers to Coachella Val-ley seniors in hospices, nursing homes andcare centers. So far this year the FlowerBank has delivered about 500,000 flowers.
“I’m addicted to kindness,” said McDon-nell, a registered nurse and respiratorytherapist. “Feeling old and sick is no fun,but feeling neglected is worse.”
He has scientific support. Rutgers Uni-versity researchers have found that flowershave a remarkable power to improve emo-tional health. Simply being in the presenceof flowers was found to elevate a person’smood and measurably increase positive so-cial behavior. The Rutgers behavioral sci-ence team concluded that flowers are sopotent that they can become a viable treat-ment option for mild forms of depression,stress and anxiety
Daily deliveriesStarting at 7 a.m., McDonnell and his
volunteers call on Trader Joe’s, WholeFoods and other supermarkets to pick upthe flowers and plants that will be “repur-posed.” Then they make deliveries to morethan 30 care facilities.
“Whole Foods recently donated 200 or-chids,” said McDonnell. “Those orchidsmade 200 sick and lonely people veryhappy.”
McDonnell once filled an entire roomwith roses for an ailing elderly woman. An-other patient who had mentioned howmuch she liked sunflowers awakened onemorning to find her room filled with sun-flowers.
Volunteer Judie Stone said, “Atria Ha-cienda in Palm Desert is one of the retire-ment homes I deliver to. The flowers have
become such a big part of the residents’lives that Atria initiated a flower-arrangingclass.”
Lisa Stevens, a social worker at the Ran-cho Mirage Health and Rehabilitation Cen-ter, said she has seen faces light up whenthey know “the flower man is coming.”
“I’m frequently stopped for a hug and akiss on the cheek,” said the personableFlower Bank founder. “Any wonder I’ve got-ten carried away and have spent $40,000 ofmy own money to keep the Flower Bankgoing. Out of necessity, I’ve started lookingfor funding. I keep thinking how muchmore I could do with additional funds.”
Renaissance man Until he was 10 years old, McDonnell
lived in a housing project in Boston’sSouthie district. It was written up as thepoorest white neighborhood in America.When the family moved to TempletonStreet in Dorchester it wasn’t much better.The street developed such a poor reputa-tion that the city finally renamed it.
As an electronics major in high school,he repaired respiratory equipment, whichled to studying respiratory therapy atBoston’s LaBore College and nursing at
More than 40,000 readers throughout the Coachella Valley
COMPLIMENTARY
VOL.3, NO.12
I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0DECEMBER 2014
The healing power of flowers
See FLOWERS page 25
PH
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MA
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The Coachella Valley
Jim McDonnell has collected and donated free flowers for the past 11 years, drivingmore than 30,000 miles a year around the Coachella Valley.
FITNESS & HEALTH 4k Three easy desert hikesk Help for thinning hair
LAW & MONEY 12k Why Canadians love CVk Year-end tax moves
PLUS BEACON BITS & MORE
ARTS & STYLESinatra Lodge offers a songwith your supper; plus, Architecture and Design Center opens its doors
page 23
LEISURE & TRAVELCelebrate the holidays in historic San Diego; plus, awalking tour through picturesque Tuscany
page 19
Was I nuts or what? At age 65, I retired to Mexico, the
Caribbean Sea lapping at my door. Sublimeweather, low cost of living, a lively group oflocals and expat friends to share time with—- who could ask for more?
Well, I got bored. And restless. I was notready to really retire. I decided to comeback to the United States and explore busi-ness opportunities.
I had more than 30 years of jobs in adver-tising and target marketing under my belt.I had run successful companies and man-aged dozens of employees. I had beenaround the world. Could I really build abusiness again?
At this time in my life my goal was to notstart just any business, but one that its sup-porters would clearly see as beneficial.
We already had a vacation home in Cathe-
dral City in the fast-growing Coachella Val-ley; that added points to my mental calcula-tions about where to re-enter the businessworld.
Success, I knew, would fol-low the “right place, right time”rule, among other factors.
I asked myself: “Whoneeds what?”
I did my homework and dis-covered that the valley’s me-dian age is 54, which meansthere are a lot of senior citizenshere. The Riverside County Of-fice on Aging told me to expectthe population of people over50 to grow by 30 percent in thenext 10 years. Other research pointed out thatthe valley’s 50-plus age group is underservedin some areas.
Bingo! A void in the market that I couldgrab onto.
Looking at print media on valley news-stands, I realized one of those voids was apublication for the 50-plus market.
Those factors led right to the name formy new company — On Target Media.
Following the footwork of establishing abusiness, and most importantly gatheringthe support of a slate of key advertisers, welaunched the Coachella Valley Beacon in De-cember 2012. It’s the publication that givesthe over-50 crowd the latest news on issuesthat shape their lives — fitness and health,law and money, travel and leisure and artsand style. Each issue features a story on avalley resident who is making a difference,plus bits on places to go and things to do.
We’ve had great feedback on what we’resaying in the Beacon and how we are saying
it. We’ve heard many times that we are thecommunity newspaper for people over 50.
We’re been fortunate and continue to ex-pand. Three years after thefirst Coachella Valley Beaconhit the newsstands, we havethree additional products:
• The Coachella ValleySeniors’ Resource Guide.The second annual issue will bepublished in March.• Valley Woman. Our new
monthly publication enteredthe market this summer. It fillsanother void I identified — adearth of media focusing onlocal women’s news and is-
sues.• The Coachella Valley Beacon 50+
Expo. Our second annual lifestyle showwith speakers, entertainment and morethan 60 exhibits was held Dec. 13 at theClassic Club in Palm Desert.
Our print publications are distributed atmore than 700 locations in the valley. Andyou can find us online at www.thebeacon-newspapers.com and www.valleywoman.net.
The Coachella Valley is a terrific commu-nity that has embraced our work. We lookforward to continuing to expand the OnTarget Media family of products.
None of this would be possible withoutthe support of our advertisers and readers,and our great On Target Media writers, ed-itors and production, client services and ad-vertising staff.
So, I may just have been lucky, but oursuccess proves I wasn’t nuts after all!
Thanks to everyone and holiday wishesto all.
2 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
CV Beacon celebrates its third anniversary
BeaconThe Coachella Valley
I N F O C U S F O R P E O P L E O V E R 5 0
Submissions: The Coachella Valley Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the20th of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month precedingthe month of publication. Please mail or email all submissions.
The Coachella Valley Beacon is a monthly newspaper dedi cated to informing, serving and en ter taining the citi zens of the Coachella Valley area,and is independently owned and operated by On-Target Media, Inc. under authority of the Beacon Newspapers, Inc. Other Beacon editions serve Howard County, Md. and Baltimore, Md., as well as Greater Washington, D.C.
Subscriptions are available via third-class mail($16), pre paid with order. Send sub scrip tion order tothe office listed below.
Publication of advertising contained herein does not necessarily con sti tute en dorse ment.
Signed col umns represent the opinions of the writers, and notnecessarily the opinion of the publisher.
• Publisher..........................................................................Michael Brachman• Local Valley Contributing Writers ..................................John Annarino, ............................................ Lydia Kremer, Bill Marchese, Jorie Parr and ................................................................................................Jamie Lee Pricer
Coachella Valley Beacon1001 South Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 217
Palm Springs, CA 92264Phone: 760-668-2226 • Email: [email protected]
Other content and design provided by The Beacon Newspapers, Inc., Kensington, Md.
• Publisher ........................................................................Stuart P. Rosenthal• Managing Editor ..................................................................Barbara Ruben• Graphic Designers ............................................Kyle Gregory, Roger King
www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com
FROM THEPUBLISHERBy Michael Brachman
Letters to the editorReaders are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressedin the Coachella Valley Beacon as well as on political and social issues ofthe day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Coachella Valley Beacon,
1001 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Ste 217, Palm Springs, CA 92264 or e-mail to [email protected]. Please include your name,
address and telephone number for verification.
Free movie passes for CV Beacon readers
Back by Popular Demand!A special arrangement between the
Coachella Valley Beacon and the MaryPickford Theatre in Cathedral City meansseveral lucky readers have a chance toenjoy first-rate, first-run films for free atthe Pickford, which is part of the UltraStarCinemas chain. To receive free tickets, allyou need to do is enjoy this current issueof the Beacon and then call us with the an-
swer to this question, which you will findsomewhere in these pages:
In what city is the Dolly Sinatra Lodgelocated?
The first 13 callers who call the Bea-con office at (760) 668-2226 with the cor-rect answer will receive two free moviepasses. Two tickets per household. Bestof luck!
WHAT GOES ON AT THE ZOO AFTER DARK?
Ever wonder what animals do at night when no one is around? You
can learn at the Living Desert’s Park After Dark from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on select
Friday evenings through March. Activities include close-up animal presentations
and guided walks through the zoo. Adult-only nights will be held Dec. 19 with beer
tastings, Jan. 16 with wine, Feb. 20 with various tequilas and March 20 with vod-
kas. Admission is $30 members, $40 non-members. Participants in adult-only
Park After Dark nights must be 21 and older with valid ID. The Living Desert is at
47-900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert. To register: [email protected]. In-
formation: (760) 346-5694, www.livingdesert.org
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon 3
By Jamie Lee PricerAre you curious about what surrounds you
in the desert outdoors but don’t know the dif-ference between a barrel cactus and a brittlebush? Or a fan palm from a queen palm? And what about the hundreds of miles of
hiking trails that zigzag through the sur-rounding mountains? Here’s a plan for elementary naturalists
and novice hikers, whether you are a curi-ous snowbird or a fulltime resident. Takethese three short, easy hikes, from flat ter-rain to one with a wee elevation gain. Payattention to the scenery and signs, andyou’ll come away with a basic view of desertplants, a taste of local history and maybethe urge to hit those mountain trails.
And don’t leave the car without at least ahat, water and closed-toe shoes!
Flat nature trailsIn Palm Desert, head south up Highway
74 from Highway 111 about four miles tothe Santa Rosa & San Jacinto MountainsNational Monument visitor center. Exhibitswill tell you about the park’s range fromdesert floor to high mountains. Slip outside to the native plant garden
and nature trail — all told no more than ahalf-mile flat stroll on packed desert paths.Signs identify the plants. Once you get the hiking bug, several
4 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
HealthFitness &HELP FOR THINNING HAIRFacing hair loss? Both men and womencan consider medications, supplementsand transplants
FEAR OF FLAVORSAre artificial flavors in food a boon fortaste buds or something to fear ratherthan savor?
HIGH ANXIETYHypnosis, therapy and other treatmentsthat may help anxiety and panic attacks
Learn about the desert in these easy hikes
See EASY HIKES, page 6Water seeping from earthquake faults fills a pond in the McCallum Grove in theCoachella Valley Preserve in Thousand Palms.
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Do you take a drug to help you sleepevery night? You’re not alone. Millions ofAmericans rely on prescription sleep med-ications, called sedative hypnotics.“People believe they can’t sleep without
them, and they stay on them for years,” saidsleep expert Dr. Lawrence Epstein, an in-structor in medicine at Harvard MedicalSchool. But you can wean yourself off thedrugs using a combination of dose reduc-tion and behavior changes.Epstein points to two challenges when it
comes to fighting sleep aid dependence.One is that when you stop taking the drugs,you get a withdrawal response that keepsyou from sleeping well.“If you stop too quickly you can get re-
bound insomnia, which makes symptomsworse,” said Epstein.The other challenge is that the rebound
insomnia then convinces users they needthe drugs to sleep. In reality, the medicationis just preventing withdrawal symptoms. That cycle creates dependence, which is
different from an addiction that’s character-ized by compulsive use and preoccupationwith a drug that interferes with normal life.
A gradual processThe encouraging news is that Epstein helps
people get off sleep medications every day. Itstarts with a gradual, progressive reduction inthe amount of sleep medication you take. Make sure this is done under the direc-
tion of a physician. Abrupt stopping cantrigger seizures in some people.Reducing the medication requires plan-
ning. “Each time you lower the dose, yoursleep will be disrupted because you’ll havethe withdrawal effect. So be prepared, andknow your sleep won’t be as good for a fewdays,” said Epstein. The longer you’ve been on the medica-
tions, the slower your doctor will make thetaper. It’s a process that can last from weeksto months.Reducing medications may not be enough
to help you rest each night. So your doctorwill likely pair the process with tools tocounter behaviors that do not promote sleep.These include:1. Cognitive behavior therapy, which
helps you redirect your thoughts to reduceanxiety about sleeping2. Relaxation techniques, such as guided
visualization3. Recognizing the stimuli that prevent
sleep, such as television, computer andsmartphone screens4. Improving sleep hygiene by — using
the bed for sleep and sex only; blocking asmuch noise and light as possible; going tobed and waking at the same times each day;
and getting out of bed if you haven’t fallenasleep within 20 minutes5. Dietary changes, such as avoiding al-
cohol, caffeine and foods that promote acidindigestion.Sleep drugs may help you get a decent
night’s rest, but they come with the risk ofimpairment — even amnesia — the nextmorning.You’ll know you’re affected if you have a
hard time getting started in the morning, orif you’re groggy when you wake up. Thatmay also put you at risk for impaired driving.It’s vital to know how long these drugs
last in your body. Some, like zolpidem (Am-bien), are short-acting. Others, such as es-zopiclone (Lunesta) and temazepam(Restoril), are medium-acting. Long-actingdrugs include flurazepam (Dalmane) andclonazepam (Klonopin).“If the problem is falling asleep, pick a
drug that doesn’t last long. If the problemis awakening during the night, pick onethat lasts longer, but learn how long it takesyou to get rid of the medication, and putaside enough time for sleep to let the drugclear from your body,” Epstein advised.
If you’re groggy in the morning, talk toyour doctor about a different medication ordose, and don’t get behind the wheel of a car.
Coachella Valley PreserveA haven for picnicking and hiking, the
Thousand Palms Oasis atthe Coachella Valley Pre-serve holds surprises in its20,000 acres of desertwilderness, wildlife andtrails, including its locationatop visible fingers of theSan Andreas earthquakefault. There is also a rusticvisitors center.From Interstate 10,
take Ramon Road east toThousand Palms CanyonRoad, turn left and con-tinue to the visitor centerparking lot. You’ll takethe easy, well-maintained2-mile McCallum Trail. But first know that the
preserve contains a rare
6 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
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Call us toll-free, 24/7, at 800-854-9211or visit us at be!yfordcenter.org
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• Carry plenty of water, more than youthink you’ll need.• Wear hiking boots, although walking
shoes will suffice on these three trails. • Never hike alone; always carry a
cell phone.
• Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunblock.• Stay on the trail.• Don’t leave trash behind. • Leave plants, rocks, historical artifacts
as you find them.• Don’t hike in the summer.
Basic deserthiking tips
Easy hikesFrom page 4
Andreas Canyon, withits dramatic upliftedwalls, is one of fourPalm Springs IndianCanyons listed in theNational Register ofHistoric Places.
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See EASY HIKES, page 7
and fragile habitat of palm woodland oasisand desert wetland. Water from springs
along the San Andreas fault feeds seeps,creeks, ponds and California fan palms. You leave the visitor center and tromp
down a raised wooden path over a marshybottom to dive into the heart of the lush
Thousand Palms Oasis, leftto flourish naturally. Youcontinue through raredesert wetlands lined witharrow weed, willow, cattailsand cottonwoods. The trail winds through
sandy washes dotted withsmoke trees and indigobushes to the McCallumGrove of California fanpalms. You might see en-dangered pupfish in a largepond fed by undergroundsprings here. The trail loopsback to the visitor center. You can take this hike by
yourself, or during season(October through March)with a guide. 29-200 Thousand
Andreas Canyon After the first two flat hikes, try a two-mile
roundtrip exploration of tribal-owned An-dreas Canyon with a 200-foot elevation gain.The smattering of different languages youmight hear on the trail reinforce that it’samong the world-famous Indian Canyons inSouth Palm Springs. Drive to the end of South Palm Canyon
Drive to a tollgate where you pay an entrancefee. Andreas Canyon is the first signed areaon your right. The trail takes you along theright side of the canyon that follows a year-
round creek and wanders through the sec-ond largest grove of California fan palms inthe world. (The largest grove is in nearbyPalm Canyon.) A clamber over some of theeasy-to-reach boulders will reveal rock mor-tars where Indian women once ground meal. After one mile, you’ll come to a fence that
signals the end of the trail. You cross thestream on a bridge and return on the otherside of the canyon with a wide view of thecanyon from above and palms, cottonwoodsand sycamores.South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm
Springs. (760) 323-6018. Picnic ta-bles and restrooms available.
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 7
Easy hikesFrom page 6
Easy-access trails intro-duce desert flora at theSanta Rosa and San Jac-into Mountains NationalMonument headquartersin Palm Desert.
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Your hair is an important part of yourself-image, and if a woman starts to lose it— as up to 60 percent of us eventually do— the loss can be devastating. Throughout our lives, we regularly shed
50 to 100 strands a day, and that process ac-celerates as we get older. Our hair also re-grows at a slower pace as we age, so wecan’t fill in thinning spots as easily.Age-related hair loss is different from fe-
male-pattern hair loss, but the two condi-tions often coexist, said Dr. Deborah Scott,
co-director of the Hair Loss Clinic atBrigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston,Mass., and an assistant professor in derma-tology at Harvard Medical School.Female-pattern hair loss — like its male-
pattern counterpart — occurs mainly in thefront of the scalp. Age-related hair loss, bycontrast, is a general shedding of hairthroughout the scalp. “It’s just a slow, grad-ual thinning without increased shedding.You look up one day and you say, ‘Wheredid my hair go?’” Scott said.
Hair loss can also occur with health con-ditions, including autoimmune diseaseslike lupus as well as thyroid problems.“Anything that stresses your body can
make you lose hair, but that’s a differenttype of hair loss; it’s a temporary hair loss,”Scott said. Similarly, years of perming, coloring,
blow drying, and chemically straighteningcan weaken the hair’s structure, leading tobreakage and thinning.“If you are losing your hair and you’re
concerned, see a doctor or specialist whocan help you figure out what’s going on,”said Scott. Your doctor will treat conditionsthat might be the cause of hair loss, suchas thyroid or autoimmune disease.
Pros and cons of medsTherapies are available for age-related or
female-pattern hair loss but they aren’tcures and can only help restore some of thehair you’ve lost.The only FDA-approved treatment for fe-
male-pattern hair loss is minoxidil (Ro-gaine), a cream or foam that you rubdirectly on your scalp. Available without aprescription, minoxidil can slow the rate ofhair loss and even re-grow some hair. It cancause side effects like skin irritation andunwanted hair growth near the area whereapplied (such as the forehead).
Finasteride (Propecia), an oral medication,is only approved to treat hair loss in men, butsome doctors are using it off-label for womenwho haven’t responded to minoxidil. In stud-ies of women, finasteride wasn’t effective inthe 1-milligram (mg.) dose used in men, buthigher doses — 2.5 or 5 mg. — did seem tohelp promote hair growth.However, this drug can cause more se-
vere side effects, including decreased sexdrive, depression, and a few cases of breastcancer in men, which should make womenpause before using it.“I would be very careful about giving fi-
nasteride to a woman, especially if she hasa history of breast cancer,” Scott said.
Supplements and transplantsVarious techniques are promoted for
restoring thinning hair. Some work betterthan others. Because certain nutrient deficiencies, par-
ticularly iron, can worsen hair loss, it’s worthgetting checked out by your doctor. Diag-nosed deficiencies can be easily treated. Dietary supplements containing ingredi-
ents like biotin are marketed for hair loss,although there isn’t much evidence behindthem. “There aren’t a lot of firm, medically sound
Help for thinning hair, hair loss in women
See HAIR LOSS, page 9
8 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
By Candice ChoiThey help give Coke its distinctive bite
and Doritos their cheesy kick. But the arti-ficial and natural flavors used to rev up thetaste of processed foods remain a mysteryto most Americans. “Artificial and natural flavors” have be-
come ubiquitous terms on food labels, help-ing create vivid tastes that would otherwisebe lost in mass production. As the sciencebehind them advances, however, some arecalling for greater transparency about theirsafety and ingredients. Recently, five consumer and environ-
mental groups sent a letter to the Food andDrug Administration (FDA) expressingtheir concern about the flavor industry,which determines the safety of its own in-gredients. The letter noted that safety issometimes declared based on scientificdata that isn’t publicly available.
Invisible ingredients“If we’re eating the stuff, it shouldn’t be
such a secret,” said Lisa Lefferts, senior sci-entist at Center for Science in the Public In-terest, a nutrition advocacy group that wasamong those who sent the letter. The call for more transparency comes as
Americans pay closer attention to what theyeat. In some cases, they’re petitioning com-panies to remove chemicals. Many food scientists say the fears are un-
founded because the unfamiliar ingredientsoften just mimic chemical structures foundin nature or are used in trace amounts. Butcomplaints have prompted companies in-
cluding PepsiCo and Subway to reformu-late recipes. As a result of the attention given to chemi-
cals and ingredients as a whole, artificial andnatural flavors are starting to get attention aswell. But they can be frustrating because peo-ple often have no clue what’s in them. “Natural flavors can mean whatever,”
said Sara Budowsky, a New York City resi-dent who runs a vegan eating website andhas become more aware of added flavors.“I’ve always been curious when I see thatlast part of the ingredient list.” The FDA says natural flavors have to be
derived from ingredients like fruit, meat orspices, and obtained through processes likedistillation or fermentation. Artificial flavorscan be made chemically, say, by mixing analcohol with a fat. It seems straightforward, but the sophis-
tication involved in making them varies
broadly. Some may just be a blend of spices,while others create the illusion that a prod-uct contains certain ingredients, likegrapes, when it doesn’t. Flavors can also conjure cooking styles.
With frozen dinners, for instance, “natural
flavors” are often used to give the impres-sion the meat was grilled or roasted. “A company can’t grill all that meat,” said
Terry Miesle, a senior flavorist who special-
C O ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 9
Are flavorings in food something to fear?
See FLAVORS, page 10
studies to support taking these supplements,but they’re harmless,” Scott said. If you wantto try taking biotin, it probably won’t hurt. Forhair loss, biotin is sold in doses of 2 to 10 mg. Women, like men, might improve their
appearance with hair transplants. However,if hair loss is diffuse throughout your scalp,you may not be a good candidate for one ofthese procedures.A better option may be to camouflage your
hair loss with creative styling techniques,along with products like sprays and powdersthat give the appearance of thicker hair. If the hair loss is extensive, you can get a
hairpiece or wig in your hair color and styleto disguise the missing sections. Today’s wigslook more like real hair than wigs once did.Losing your hair isn’t just a physical af-
fliction; it can affect your self-perceptionand self-esteem, too.“It takes a while for people to come to
College. All rights reserved. Distributed byTribune Media Services, Inc.
Hair lossFrom page 8
izes in savory tastes at Innova Flavors in theChicago area. “But flavors can mimic thechemical process of cooking.” A flavorist might use materials like beef
stock, fats and sugar to ignite the reactionsto create the “grilled” taste, he said.
Tracking the size of the flavor industry isdifficult in part because food companies mayhave their own flavorists. But consulting firmLeffingwell & Associates estimates theglobal industry at about $23.91 billion, up 19percent from $20 billion in 2000. About half that was for flavors in foods,
while the rest was for fragrances, said JohnLeffingwell, the firm’s founder and a former
flavorist who helped invent Sunkist. Big flavor makers including Givaudan,
Symrise and International Flavors & Fra-grances declined to make representativesavailable.
Are safety concerns founded?The safety of flavors is determined by the
Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Associa-
tion (FEMA), an industry trade group. Inany given year, FEMA may declare as fewas 10 or as many as 100 to be safe, said JohnHallagan, the association’s senior adviserand general counsel. In all, FEMA says it has found around
3,000 different flavors to be safe. They’reusually used in minute quantities, typicallyfar less than 1 percent of a product. Even so, disclosing their ingredients
would likely attract more consumer com-plaints for companies, which are alreadyfacing pressure over ingredients. Last year, a petition noted an ingredient
in Subway’s bread, azodicarbonamide, isalso used in yoga mats. Subway removedthe ingredient, even though it is widelyused in other breads. PepsiCo removed aningredient from Gatorade after a petition bya teenager linked it to a flame retardant. The groups asking the FDA to look into
the flavor industry don’t necessarily thinkthe ingredients in flavors should be listedon packaging, since the chemical nameswould be meaningless to most. But compa-nies might post information online or else-where, said Erik Olson of the NaturalResources Defense Council, one of thegroups that sent the letter to the FDA. A representative for the FDA said the
agency is looking into the concerns raisedby the groups. In the meantime, flavors are opening up
new possibilities. Senomyx, based in California, makes in-
gredients that interact with taste receptorsto block or amplify attributes like sweet-ness. They have no taste or smell but arelisted as artificial flavors. Senomyx recently said it expects one of its
ingredients, which allows manufacturers to re-duce the amount of sugar and high fructosecorn syrup in products, to be used startingthis year. PepsiCo, which has exclusive rightsto use it in non-alcoholic drinks, declined tocomment. — AP
By Dr. Michael Craig MillerQ: Is hypnotherapy effective for gen-
eralized anxiety and panic disorders?A: Hypnosis is an interesting treatment
that sometimes seems like magic. But it isn’tmagic; it’s a kind of relaxation technique.Some people can use it to manage anxiety.How does it work? You’re invited to relax.
You focus your attention inward. You useyour imagination to alter your perceptions.
A hypnotist may make suggestions, yetyou remain alert and in control of your ownthoughts and actions. You may be able toturn your attention away from what’s both-ering you.Some people are more easily hypnotized
than others. This trait is called “hypnotizabil-ity.” About 10 percent of people are highlyhypnotizable. About 10 percent can’t be hyp-notized at all. The vast majority of adults can
enter at least a light hypnotic state.There’s no scientific proof that hypnosis
is an effective treatment for anxiety disor-ders. Psychotherapy and anti-anxiety med-ications are most effective for anxiety.But if you’re motivated and reasonably
hypnotizable, hypnosis can be a helpfuladd-on. Try it to ease physical symptoms ofanxiety, such as muscle tension, trembling,unsettled stomach or rapid breathing. The
goal is to keep the physical symptoms frommaking you more anxious.Panic anxiety is especially tough to man-
age with hypnosis. The symptoms are tooforceful and concentrated. But hypnosis mayhelp you master your fear of panic triggers.A therapeutic hypnotist should be li-
censed in one of the mental health profes-
Treatments for anxiety, panic, depression10 Fitness & Health | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
FlavorsFrom page 9
See ANXIETY, page 11
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sions — psychology, psychiatry, socialwork or psychiatric nursing. He or sheshould be trained to evaluate your anxietysymptoms. He or she should be able to pro-vide or refer you for whatever anxiety treat-ment you may need.As long as you don’t expect hypnosis to
be the whole treatment for generalized anx-iety or a panic disorder, it’s a reasonablemethod to help control your symptoms.Q: My mother is severely depressed,
but she refuses to see her doctor or getprofessional help. I’m afraid she willhurt herself if I leave her alone. Whatcan I do?A: First, some thoughts about on what
might be preventing your mother from seek-ing help. Then let’s think about how to dealwith the risk of self-harm and suicide.Depression may be affecting your
mother’s motivation. That can make her re-fuse any help. She may also feel embar-
rassed, either because of her mood or at theprospect of seeing a mental health profes-sional.Depression can impair a person’s ability
to think rationally. Pessimism makes every-thing seem not worth doing. Depression it-self may involve the fixed belief thatnothing could possibly help.Fortunately, suicide is rare. And there
are good ways to reduce the risk of suicide.Treatment can reduce suffering from de-
pression and anxiety, substance use problems,chronic medical illnesses and chronic pain. Medication can remedy distorted think-
ing or psychosis. Psychosis is any thought,perception or idea that is not consistentwith reality.Emotional support is also beneficial.
Family and friends can help a person copewith day-to-day stresses.Remove anything from the home that
could be used to commit suicide, especiallyfirearms and dangerous medications.If your mother still refuses help, consider
whether she is in immediate danger. Has
she experienced a sudden, significant loss— for example, of a relationship or a job? Isshe going through some other life crisis? Isthere a history of suicide attempts? Is therea family history of suicide?If you believe she is in immediate danger,
you may have a tough choice to make. Shemay need to get help involuntarily.However, most often it’s not necessary to
force the issue of treatment. Love, encour-agement and firm cajoling often lead aloved one to get needed help.If you’re uncertain about how to address
the situation, talk with your mother’s doc-tor. If she’s insured, find out who is avail-
able to do a mental health evaluation. Fail-ing those options, she will likely need eval-uation in the emergency department ofyour local hospital.Michael Craig Miller, M.D., is an assis-
tant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Med-ical School and an associate physician atBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,Boston, Mass. He is a senior medical editorat Harvard Health Publications.For additional consumer health informa-
College. All Rights Reserved. Distributed ByTribune Content Agency, LLC.
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Fitness & Health 11
AnxietyFrom page 10
GET IN SHAPE FOR FREECoachella Valley Wellness Foundation provides free fitnessclasses at Joslyn Center, 73-750 Catalina Way, Palm Desert. The
schedule: Morning aerobics, 6:15 a.m. Monday and Wednesday; Calisthenics, 10a.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; Strength and Stretch, noon Wednesday and10:30 a.m. Friday; Fit After 50, 11:15 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday. (760) 340-3220, www.joslyncenter.org
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12 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
By Bill MarcheseOn a balmy fall afternoon in Palm Springs,
with temperature in the mid-70s and the sun
beginning to arch over the San JacintoMountains, Laurance Jones of Calgary, Al-berta, Canada, pedaled his new bike for five
miles around Palm Springs. At the sametime, the upper Midwest and East in Canadaand the U.S. were pounded by a vortex offreezing temperatures and record snow.“It’s a healthy place to live,” Jones said,
speaking of the Coachella Valley, with “a lotmore opportunity for outdoor activity,” es-pecially in the fall and winter months. “Thestreets are frozen back home.”Jones plans to spend almost six months in
Palm Springs, returning to Canada onroughly the same schedule as the geese thatmigrate back and forth between seasons.With about 75 other Canadians, Jones re-
cently attended a Welcome CanadiansMaple Leaf Mixer at Desert Regional Med-ical Center to learn about health, insurance
and other medical services available to vis-itors from other countries.
Cutting red tapeBoth Desert Regional and Eisenhower
Medical Center (EMC) offer similar pro-grams to help Canadians cut through thered tape and paperwork for medical proce-dures or a visit to a doctor.Desert Regional has a “Canada Card”
program, which offers convenience andtransparent pricing, not insurance. It alsoserves as advance registration in case onehas to visit an immediate care center orneeds emergency services.
Canadians: Why they love Coachella Valley
MoneyTIPS FOR HOLDIAY TIPPINGUse your discretion and plan ahead to determine how much to tip
MORE EBOLA DANGERSHow to protect yourself from Ebola charity scams and stock schemes
YEAR-END TAX MOVESNow’s the time to look at reducing capital gains taxes and surtaxes
FIX RETIREMENT FINANCESPay off your mortgage and credit cards to ensure more retirement assets
Law &
See CANADIANS, page 13
EMC created a simplified, bundled cashpricing program for elective procedureslike hip or joint replacement. Patients re-ceive one price and one bill that combinesall services, including the hospital, the doc-tor, the anesthesiologist and other servicesrelated to the procedure and hospital stay.This simplified process is “similar to
Canada,” said John Coenen of Langley,British Columbia. “We never see the de-tails.” The government health insurance inCanada “takes care of all of it,” he said.Joint or hip replacement is a popular pro-
cedure in the United States for Canadians,explained Jones. “We don’t have enough doc-tors and specialists, so the wait for a knee orhip replacement can a year or more.”
Some Canadians pay for the procedure inthe United States and get it much faster.
Never simpleWhat is covered by Canadian insurance
“can be complicated,” and open to interpre-tation, said David Renker, EMC marketingspecialist. “I don’t pretend to know how allthe Canadian insurance works,” he said, butsome Canadians buy additional travelers in-surance in Canada for what is not coveredby their standard Canadian insurance, usu-ally covering catastrophic accidents, not avisit to a doctor for a sore throat.One Canadian said a traveler’s insurance
policy for himself and his wife increasedfrom $1,000 for six months to $4,500 in 10years as he advanced in age and underwenta coronary bypass surgery. Younger peoplewithout health issues pay less.
Brian and Laure (who prefer not to givetheir last name) live in Canada near NiagaraFalls. She took a nasty fall in 2012 while inArizona and broke a collarbone. Her hospi-tal visit, which cost $22,000, was completelycovered by Canadian insurance, includingthe ambulance to the emergency room, thehospital, doctors and tests to see whatcaused her to black out before the fall.Laure said she was very happy with thequality of medical care she received.
Florida vs. CaliforniaOne couple said they visited Florida in
the winter several times, but “could not han-dle the bugs and high humidity.” Theybought a home in Palm Desert.What seems to resonate with most Cana-
dians was summed up by Katie Stradwick ofVancouver, British Columbia: “I spend win-ters here because of the weather, and it’sonly two hours away nonstop by WestJet”from her home.
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 13
Saturday 10-11 am Sunday 10-10:30 am Sunday 8:30-9 am
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CanadiansFrom page 12
Canadians enjoy an evening Maple Leaf Mixer in a courtyard at Desert RegionalMedical Center staffed by various medical service and hospital providers who offerfree information.
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FREE LEGAL HELP
Riverside Legal Aid offers free family law and civic legal services
to low-income residents from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of
the month at the Palm Springs Public Library, 300 S. Sunrise Way. Appointments
can be made at (760) 347-9456, www.palmspringslibrary.org.
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
By Lisa GerstnerHere are a few things you might want to
consider before handing out gifts and cashthis holiday season.
Make a cheat sheet. For people you seeregularly — a weekend babysitter, cleaningperson, hairstylist, massage therapist or per-sonal trainer — the cost of one session orvisit is an appropriate benchmark. The newspaper deliverer should get
about $10 to $30. (Pair your tip with a hand-written note that specifies what you appre-
ciate about the person and her services,said Diane Gottsman, etiquette expert andfounder of the Protocol School of Texas.
Exercise discretion. If someone hasworked with you for several years, or hasprovided outstanding service, you may bumpup the amount. Where you live also makes adifference. “When in doubt, ask around,”said Peggy Post, director of the Emily PostInstitute. But if a neighbor tells you that she’stipping her handyman twice as much as youcan afford, you don’t have to match it.
Keep it timely. Try to tip before the holi-days are over, said Gottsman. Tipping early inthe season gives your recipients a chance touse the money for gifts or other expenses. Delivering the tip in person is ideal, but
for hard-to-catch people, such as your news-paper carrier, you may be able to trackdown an address where you can mail a cardand a check. (Some may leave you a pread-dressed envelope).
Money isn’t everything. If you want togive a more personal (or less expensive)gift, homemade crafts or food, chocolatesand wine are go-to options (but watch fordietary restrictions). A latte drinker mightlove a gift card to her favorite coffee shop. If tips or gifts don’t fit into your budget,
write thank-you notes. Post suggests send-ing a letter to, say, your cleaning person’ssupervisor commending her work.
Not everyone takes tips. Don’t offermoney to professionals such as accountants,
lawyers and doctors, although a gift may bewelcome. Postal carriers aren’t allowed totake cash, checks or gift cards. You may,however, offer a gift worth less than $20. Employers of workers such as nursing-
home attendants and trash collectors mayprohibit employees from accepting tips orgifts. Check the company’s policy.
It’s good to receive. Giving a year-endtip or gift is primarily a way to say thank-you.But being generous can benefit you, too. Your hairdresser would never intentionally
botch your dye job if you skip a holiday tip, butshe might be more inclined to squeeze you inat the last minute if you treat her well.Lisa Gerstner is a contributing editor to
14 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
“Dad Couldn’t Remember
How To Get Home.”
Call today for a complimentary Elder Law, Medi-Cal
or Veterans Benefits consultation: 760-776-9977
An estitiiiimmammmmm tteteted d 555.5 2 2 2 2 2 million n AmAmAmAmAAAmereriicanans s hahavve A Alzlzhheiimmer’’s d diiseaease. ThThe nu bmber ofofoofof A A A Amememe iriricaacannsnsn with Alzheiimememer’r s has more than douubled since 1980.
The number of Americans with Alzheimer’s disease will continue to grow — by 2050 the number of individuals with Alzheimer’s is projected to exceed 13.8 million.
Half of all nursing home residents have Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder.
A person with Alzheimer’s disease will live an average of eight years and as many as 20 years or more from the onset of symptoms.
The average cost for nursing home care is over $83,950 per year but can exceed $97,820.
74-916 Highway111 • Indian Wells, CA 92210760 776 9977 phone • 760 406 5053 fax
WWW.LEELAWYERS.COM web
Desert Law GroupKimberly T. Lee, aplc
Kimberly T. Lee,Attorney at Law
Some tips for calculating holiday tipping
RECYCLE ELECTRONICS AND TIRES
Cathedral City residents (proof of residency required) can drop off
electronics and tires for free recycling from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays at 68-385
By Cameron HuddlestonBoth the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)are warning consumers to watch out forEbola-related charity scams. The FinancialIndustry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) isalso cautioning investors to steer clear ofscams involving companies that claim to bedeveloping products to prevent the spreadof the deadly disease.
To avoid charity scams1. Only give to charities you know and
trust. You can check out charities at theBBB’s Give.org site, find a list of charitiesresponding to the Ebola outbreak on Char-ityNavigator.org, or give to the CDC Foun-dation, which helps the U.S. Centers forDisease Control and Prevention’s Ebola re-sponse.2. Don’t give out financial information to
unsolicited callers claiming to be with acharity. The BBB reports that consumershave received calls from someone claimingto be with a well-known charity’s chapter inthe Bronx, N.Y., that’s raising money to helpwith Ebola. But no such branch exists.3. Don’t click on links or attachments in un-
solicited e-mails. Opening attachments can in-stall malware on your computer, according tothe FTC. And the links can lead to fraudulentwebsites that might ask for your personal in-
formation, which can be used to drain youraccounts or steal your identity.4. Be wary of social media fundraising ef-
forts. Just because you see an organizationor fundraising effort touted on Facebook orTwitter doesn’t mean it’s legitimate. TheFTC recommends that you research anysolicitation before making a donation. Youcan use the sites listed above.5. Don’t give cash. Make a payment by
check or credit card to have a record of thetransaction for tax purposes. Also be awarethat if you’re giving money to a project runby an individual rather than a charitable or-ganization, your donation might not qualifyas a tax-deductible gift, the BBB reports.
To avoid stock scams1. Be wary of claims that a company is
poised for dramatic growth as a result of asupposed cure or treatment for a diseasesuch as Ebola, said Gerri Walsh, FINRAsenior vice president for investor education,in a written statement. This could indicatean effort by scammers to artificially inflatethe value of a stock in what is often referredto as a pump-and-dump scheme.In this scenario, scammers try to lure in-
vestors to buy a stock with promises of bigreturns. But once the stock’s price in-creases, the scammers sell off their sharesat a profit, quickly driving down the price
and leaving investors with worthless (ornear-worthless) stock that no one wants tobuy, according to FINRA.2. Consider the source of the stock tip.
According to FINRA, investors should beskeptical of emails or promotional materials
Protect yourself from Ebola charity scamsCOACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 15
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!"#$$%&#$'()*)+,-"#.#/)*")01"23#413'2516"#&2)725*#82)*# !"#/52(8)29#,3#'19"202,(("1#+:#/52(8)29#;,2"#413'2516"#<)*=51:#519#,(3#58>-,5("3?#@1"#/52(8)29#&-5A5?#/52(8)29#< #BCDEEF#<$#-,6"13"#1'*+"2#EDEGF#41#H53!,17()1?#(!"#$'()#&2)725*#,3#'19"202,(("1#+:# 2'*+'--#413'2516"#<)*=51:F# !"#/)*"#&2)725*#,3#'19"202,(("1#+:#/52(8)29#I19"202,("23#413'2516"#<)*=51:F#$$%	)"3#1)(#"*=-):#)2#"19)23"#57"1(3#)2#+2)J"23F#$$%ȇ#,(3#58>-,5("3#52"#1)(#,13'2"23F#&5,9#"19)23"*"1(F# !"#/52(8)29#pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP membership is required for Program "-,7,+,-,(:#,1#*)3(#3(5("3F#$==-,651(3#52"#,19,K,9'5--:#'19"202,(("1#519#3)*"#*5:#1)(#L'5-,8:F#M="6,>6#8"5('2"3?#62"9,(3?#519#9,36)'1(3#*5:#K52:#519#*5:#1)(#+"#5K5,-5+-"#,1#5--#3(5("3#,1#566)29516"#0,(!#3(5("#>-,173#519#5==-,65+-"#-50F#N)'#!5K"#(!"#)=(,)1#)8#='26!53,17#5#=)-,6:#9,2"6(-:#82)*# !"#/52(8)29F#N)'2#=2,6"?#!)0"K"2?#6)'-9#K52:?#519#:)'#0,--#1)(#!5K"#(!"#59K,6"?#6)'13"-#)2#3"2K,6"3#)8#:)'2#,19"="19"1(#57"1(F1In Texas, the Auto Program is underwritten by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company, through Hartford of Texas General Agency, Inc. Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates are not financially responsible for insurance products underwritten and issued by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company. The Home Program is underwritten by Twin City Fire Insurance Company.
See EBOLA SCAMS, page 17
By Sandra BlockThis is the time of year when many of us
count our blessings. And if you own stocksand mutual funds, you may have a lot ofblessings to count. But eventually, most of us must share
some of our good fortune with the IRS. Asthe year comes to a close, consider strate-gies to hang on to more of your bull-marketbounty.Be mindful of capital-gains distributions.
Mutual funds are required to distribute allgains from the sale of their investments,along with the dividends and interest theyearn each year. Unless you own the funds in a tax-advan-
taged account, such as an IRA or 401(k)plan, you’ll have to pay taxes on those gains
with your 2014 tax return, even if you rein-vest the money in new shares rather thantaking it in cash.
Should you sell?If you get a sizable distribution, consider
selling stocks or funds that have declinedin value to generate losses to offset thosegains. (But don’t sell shares to lock in a lossand expect to buy them back right away inhopes of riding a rebound. The IRS “washsale” rule bars you from claiming the lossif you buy the same or a “substantially iden-tical” investment within 30 days of the sale.)Be careful, too, that you don’t inadver-
tently buy a big tax bill. If you plan to pur-chase a mutual fund for a taxable accountbetween now and the end of the year, waituntil after the fund has distributed capitalgains. Otherwise, you’ll wind up paying taxon what is effectively a refund of part ofyour purchase price (the fund’s share pricewill drop to reflect the distribution). Thedistribution date should be posted on thefund’s website.
Dodge the surtaxFor the second year, investors with ad-
justed gross income (AGI) of $200,000 ormore ($250,000 for married couples) face a3.8-percent surtax on unearned income, in-cluding interest, dividends, royalties, rentsand capital gains. The surtax is owed onyour investment income or the amount bywhich your AGI exceeds the threshold,whichever is less. If you’re close to thethreshold, consider waiting until next yearto sell appreciated securities.If you haven’t fully funded your tax-ad-
16 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
Happy holidays from the Beacon!
SEMINAR DISCUSSES LUNGHEALTH
Desert Regional Medical Centerphysicians Eric Presser, thoracic sur-geon, and Brahama Konda, hematol-ogy/oncology specialist, will lead aseminar on “Protecting Your LungHealth” at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18at Mizell Senior Center. Time isscheduled for a question and answersession. RSVPs should be made to(800) 491-4990. Mizell is at 480 S.Sunrise Way, Palm Springs.www.mizell.org
BEACON BITS
Dec. 18
from unknown senders hyping a companyand its products. It’s a red flag if you’re flooded with numer-
ous releases or e-mails about a company’sstock focusing only on its upside and no men-tion of risk. This is the “pump” phase of a typ-ical pump-and-dump stock scam.There’s a simple way to find out if some-
one selling stock or an investment is prop-erly licensed, and whether his or her firm isregistered with FINRA, the Securities andExchange Commission and a state regulator.Use FINRA’s free Broker Check service atwww.finra.org/Investors/ToolsCalcula-tors/BrokerCheck, or call your state securi-ties regulator (in the District of Columbia:(202) 442-7800; in Virginia: (804) 371-9051;in Maryland: (410) 576-6360). 3. Do your own research. FINRA recom-
mends doing an online search of the com-pany and its officials to look for red flags.
Pay careful attention to recent or multiplecorporate name changes, as well as to re-cent indictments or convictions of companyofficials.Use the Securities and Exchange Commis-
sion’s EDGAR database to see if the companyfiles reports with the SEC. If so, read those re-ports to verify any information you might havereceived about that company.4. Know where the stock trades. Most
unsolicited investment recommendationsinvolve stocks that don’t trade on a majorexchange like the Nasdaq or New YorkStock Exchange. Instead, they likely trade“over the counter” on exchanges withlooser listing standards, such as those runby OTC Markets Group.Although many over-the-counter stocks
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Law & Money 17
Ebola scamsFrom page 15
FREE TAI CHI CLASSDesert Regional Medical Center offers free Tai Chi classes led bya certified instructor at 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Stergios
Building, 1150 N. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs. (800) 491-4990,www.desertregional.com
DO YOU THINK YOU EAT HEALTHY?Linda Bergersen, a Palm Springs nutritionist, will discuss healthyeating habits, the best food to eat and what food to avoid at a
free seminar at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Mizell Senior Center, 480 S. SunriseWay, Palm Springs. (760) 323-5689, www.mizell.org
ARE YOU PUTTING ON HOLIDAY POUNDS?A registered dietitian will outline healthy eating, and waist-trimming holiday recipes at a free seminar from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Eisenhower Indian Wells Health Living
Resource Center, Kiewit Building, #103, Eisenhower Medical Center, 39-000 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage. (760) 423-4855, www.emc.org
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Dec. 16
By Elliot RaphaelsonRecent studies have shown that many
prospective retirees have insufficient assetsor sources of income for a comfortable re-tirement. A lot of factors play into this prob-lem. I’ll discuss major ones below, andsuggest ways to alleviate them.
Mortgage debt.More people than everbefore are entering retirement with a sig-nificant mortgage. If you have a number ofyears left in your working career, you mightbenefit from refinancing your mortgage to
a shorter term, say, 15 years rather than 30.Or you might make more or larger pay-ments toward principal. These steps can help you significantly re-
duce or eliminate the outstanding balanceby the time you reach retirement. If you’reon the verge of retiring, you might considerdownsizing your home to reduce or elimi-nate mortgage costs.
Credit card debt. Retirees are also fac-ing higher credit card debt than ever. I rec-ommend taking steps to retire all credit
card debt before you retire. If you are notpaying your bill in full each month, use adifferent credit card for new purchases, andpay it in full monthly. To deal with outstanding balances, initiate
a plan to eliminate all credit card debt beforeyou retire.
Insufficient retirement assets. Makesure that your 401(k) contributions are highenough to ensure maximum employer match-ing. If you haven’t been making a maximumcontribution, cut down on unnecessary expen-ditures so you can increase your contribution.Make additional IRA contributions.
Poor investment returns and highcommissions. Do not keep large invest-ments in vehicles with low returns or man-agement fees exceeding 1 percent each year. You should not have significant invest-
ments in money-market instruments, certifi-cates of deposit, or Treasury bills earning lessthan 1 percent. You can’t afford investmentswith returns lower than the rate of inflation.Invest in diversified stock and bond no-
load mutual funds and/or exchange-traded-funds with low expense ratios. ConsiderVanguard, Fidelity, T. Rowe Price and dis-count brokerage firms.
Inappropriate investment mix. Whenyou retire, you will want a portfolio that isconsistent with your retirement objectives.It is likely that you will need some consis-
tent income and inflation protection? Determine how much recurring income
you need from your retirement accounts,and you should be in a better position to de-termine what percentage of bonds youneed in your portfolio, as well as the mix ofcommon stocks. If you don’t have expertiseyourself, you may initially need the servicesof a fee-only financial planner.
College expenses. The cost of collegeshas increased dramatically, and many stu-dents expect significant financial supportfrom parents. Help your children chooseschools they can afford, and encouragethem to get scholarships and other aid.Let them know ahead of time that, because
you are planning for retirement, they shouldnot depend on you to pay their college loans.
Premature retirement. If you possiblycan, retire later than you might otherwiseintend. There are several advantages. Youhave more time to accumulate retirementfunds. Your mortgage and credit-card debtwill be smaller. You can postpone taking So-cial Security, which will increase the size ofyour benefit. Conversely, if you retire prior to 65, you
Preparation can ease retirement finances18 Law & Money | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon 19
By Lydia Kremer Take a step back in time and experience
the charm, beauty and colorful past of EarlyCalifornia, which are alive and well as partof San Diego’s historic and cultural heritage.After all, San Diego is one of the first placesin California that Spanish explorers discov-ered in their quest for the New World.
San Diego has retained many significanthistorical and architectural vestiges of EarlyCalifornia, and these are now among someof its most notable attractions. The SanDiego Mission and Old Town are two sitesthat offer visitors a rich cultural experience.
And the holidays are one of the most fes-tive times to visit San Diego because of themany colorful events and traditions you’llencounter.
Old Town State Historic Park San Diego’s Old Town is a slice of Cali-
fornia as it was in the 1800s. The Old TownSan Diego State Historic Park is comprisedof several blocks of historic buildings,parks, plazas and a preserved adobe, LaCasa de Estudillo, which dates back to1830. The La Casa de Estudillo is both ahouse and a museum; listed as a California
and National Historic Landmark, it is opento the public for self-guided or docent tours.
Old Town also has several restaurantsand more than 40 shops offering a varietyof crafts and gifts such as candles, jewelry,gemstones, clothing, coffee/teas, homedécor, pottery, Native American handcrafts, books and much more.
On Dec. 13 and 14, Old Town San DiegoState Historic Park celebrates Holiday inthe Park with entertainment, and many liv-ing history activities. The celebration con-tinues on Dec. 14, with the 64th consecutiveyear of Las Posadas.
Old Town will also host nightly BonfireNights the week between Christmas andNew Year’s with free s’mores and hotchocolate in the middle of the Historic StatePark Plaza at dusk until 9 p.m. Old Townalso has its own historic hotel — The Cos-mopolitan which dates back to the 1870sand is just steps from Old Town.
Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala
There is no place more special for an au-thentic Early California experience than theMission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, the
first of the 21 California Missions estab-lished by Father Junipero Serra.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Massesare an annual tradition attended by the com-munity and visitors regardless of religiousaffiliation — it’s an opportunity to celebrate
California’s heritage in an authentic historicsite.
Founded by Fr. Serra in 1769, the SanDiego Mission is a beautifully preserved liv-
TravelLeisure &
Get to know Italy’s people and picturesquecountryside through a customized walking vacation. See story on page 21.
Celebrate holidays in historic San Diego
The Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, founded in 1769, is the first of 21 Cali-fornia missions.
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ing history site. Visitors can explore thesprawling grounds and the compound ofbuildings that were typical of California mis-sion life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Thereis a main basilica, a small chapel, tranquilcourtyard garden with a companario (Mis-sion bells), living quarters and a museum.
More holiday cheer You’ll find holiday festivity everywhere in
San Diego, but the historic Gaslamp Dis-
trict downtown will be ground zero for hol-iday fun on Dec. 21 when it hosts its annualPoinsettia Bowl. The parade kicks off at 6p.m. and features marching bands andspirit squads performing holiday classics.
The San Diego Bay Parade of Lightstakes place on San Diego Bay on two con-secutive Sundays, Dec. 14 and 21, 5:30 to7:30 p.m. Enjoy an hour and a half of morethan 80 boats lavishly decorated to thisyear’s theme — children’s stories. The boatparade runs along Shelter Island past Har-bor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Vil-lage and the Ferry Landing in Coronado.
All of these locations offer holiday fun tocelebrate in historic San Diego.
Resources General tourism info:
www.Visitsandiego.org
Old Town State Historic Park:www.parks.ca.gov/oldtownsandiego Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant:
www.oldtowncosmopolitan.com Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala:
www.missionsandiego.com
20 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
San DiegoFrom page 19
Casa de Ryes is one of the many restaurants that add holiday festivity to a visit toOld Town San Diego, a historic landmark.
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SAVE! SAVE!
Locally Owned & Operated Since 1971OUR PRICES WILL FLOOR YOU!
Please tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”
By Karen SchwartzWalking from the towns of Buoncon-
vento to Montalcino as part of a weeklongtrek through Tuscany, I was faced with atough decision.
How many bottles of wine could I reason-ably carry in my daypack?
The road that led to this quandary hadpassed right by the Caparzo winery — sonaturally, we stopped in for a sample.
Now I weighed the taste of the award-winning Brunello against the realities ofbeing only midway through our 9-mile walkon a warm day: A grueling ascent up asteep grade to Montalcino still lay ahead.
I opted to carry only one bottle. Once itwas packed away, we topped up our waterand continued on, past rolling vineyardsand along a short stretch of the Via Franci-gena, an ancient pilgrim route runningfrom France to Rome.
It was another typical day on our self-guided trip walking from town to town inTuscany’s Val d’Orcia. If we could avoid en-countering vipers and wild boar, we hadnary a care in the world.
Tour company handles logistics My husband and I had booked the tour
through Girosole, which specializes in cus-tomized Italian walking tours and conve-niently has a U.S. office. Because the tripsare private, we got to pick the departuredate and duration.
We opted for seven nights in five towns.On the other two days, we were shuttled inone direction and walked in the other.
They handled all the logistics: hotelreservations, shuttles to and from the train,baggage transfers, detailed walking direc-tions and even a cellphone for emergencies.
Our responsibilities were few. We onlyneeded to have our bags packed by 9 a.m.each day, bring enough water, and try notto lose the directions. (After dropping themonce on the roadside, I took a picture of
them each day with my phone’s camera asa backup.)
Otherwise, we were free to walk andsightsee at our own pace. The directions,while not infallible, were very specific, ref-erencing distances, landmarks, topogra-phy, and the occasional marker from theItalian alpine club.
They also included useful tidbits like theamount of shade, the availability of water,the locations of bathrooms, and whetherneighborhood dogs were friendly.
The landscape — with large farmhousesand borders of cypress trees — oftenseemed familiar, immortalized in countlesspaintings during the Renaissance by artistsfrom the Sienese School.
Ten years ago, the Val d’Orcia, about 25miles south of Siena, was named a UNESCO
A walking tour thru picturesque TuscanyCOACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Leisure & Travel 21
A hiking tour through Tuscany’s scenic Val d’Orcia region allows visitors to get an up-close view of the landscape. Val d’Orcia is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
COLLECTS MEMBERSHIP FEEFollowing a City Council resolution,the Indio Senior Center is chargingan annual fee to help fund projects,programs, activities and facility im-provements. Most of the classes willcontinue to be free; some will have asmall supply fee. Cost is $25 per per-son per year for Indio residents and$35 per person per year for non-resi-dents. Payments will be acceptedstarting Monday, Jan. 5 at the center,45-700 Aladdin St., Indio, or bymailed check payable to Indio SeniorCenter. (760) 391-4170,www.indio.org
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Ongoing
World Heritage site, chosen for its artistic in-fluence, and its association with the utopianideals of sustainable rural development.
Off the beaten pathOften we walked on dirt roads around
vineyards or while watching a lone tractortraverse a wheat field. Some days wepassed through the forest where unseenwild boar left hoof prints on muddy paths.
We visited two monasteries and skirted onetruffle reserve. Other travelers were few.
Most days we covered about eight miles,with an average elevation gain of 1,200 feet.We’d generally pass through the gates of thenext walled town in the afternoon, just asthe buses with the hordes of day-trippersfrom Siena and Florence were leaving.
That was ideal. Although the hill townsthrive on tourism, it was nice to move be-yond the cheese, wine and souvenir shops,and explore their historic fortifications (in-cluding spectacular views from the ram-parts in Montalcino), small museums (likethe mansion of the Piccolomini clan inPienza) and beautiful churches.
We were fortunate to catch the start of the
annual Festival of Barbarossa in San Quiricod’Orcia, held each June, in which the town’sfour quarters re-enact a 12th century compe-tition with flag and archery contests.
Adding to the ambiance in San Quiricowas the discovery that our room at thehotel Palazzo del Capitano had a turret thatafforded great sweeping views.
When booking the tour, we had a choiceof three levels of hotels and opted for themiddle, somewhere between standard andluxury. All of the hotels we stayed in werewelcoming, clean and comfortable.
Our bags were always waiting in ourroom, giving us plenty of time to clean upand explore the town before choosingwhere to have that night’s sumptuous din-ner.
Being Tuscany, the food was fabulous,often featuring dishes made from local truf-fles, pecorino or cinghiale — wild boar.
For wine, there was no place like Mon-tepulciano, where restaurants like La Bot-tega del Nobile boasted as many as 60 local
offerings by the glass. The famous city isoften associated with the Val d’Orcia, andwas a stop on our trip, even though it sits ina neighboring territory.
And that bottle of Brunello? It was exqui-site. But I was glad I had decided to carryonly one, because it turned out that the win-ery shipped. So, many months later, with acase in my basement, I’m still enjoying thefruits of my trip.
If you goGirosole: www.girosole.com. Tour com-
pany organizes small group walking toursof Italy.
Val D’Orcia: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1026. UNESCO World Heritage site inSiena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Walk-ing itineraries: www.parcodellavaldorcia.com/en/itinerari.asp
Palazzo Del Capitano: www.palazzodel-capitano.com/en/index.html. Hotel locatedin San Quirico d’Orcia. Rates vary by roomand date. — AP
22 Leisure & Travel | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
ItalyFrom page 21
+LEARN ABOUT PALM SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOODS
Walking tours take in celebrity homes, architecture and local inns
in seven different Palm Springs neighborhoods every day of the week except Sun-
day. The tours are led by docents of the Palm Springs Historical Society. Fee is
$18. Reservations are required at (760) 323-8297 or www.pshistoricalsociety.org.
BEACON BITS
Ongoing
COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon 23
By John AnnarinoIt may be the most fun you’ll ever have
eating pasta and meatballs. While you’re enjoying a delicious Italian
dinner, you’ll also be entertained by someof the best singers and musicians in theCoachella Valley.
It all happens at the Dolly Sinatra Lodge inPalm Springs every Wednesday night duringseason. What you get for $10 is appetizers,homemade soup, an Italian salad, pasta andmeatballs, garlic bread, dessert and coffee.
The Wednesday pasta social is open tothe public. A no-host bar opens at 5 p.m.,and dinner is served at 5:30 p.m. The firstWednesday of the month is a special music
night and the charge is $15. The entertainment is “molto bene.” Singer
Frank DiSalvo, who has gained a huge follow-ing with his show at the Indian Wells Resort& Hotel, performs the first Wednesday of themonth. DiSalvo is also the Lodge’s vice pres-ident. Other popular Lodge singers areMichael D’Angelo, Antheny Shane, Tony D’-Jeralando, Rose Kingsley and Larry Capeleto.
Celebrating Italian-Americanculture
“Folks of all backgrounds are welcome,”said President Joe LaPorta. “We’re alwayslooking for new members who want to learnmore about our Italian-American culture.”
Lodge membership is $75 a year. Mem-bers receive local and state newsletters anda monthly magazine published by theSupreme Lodge Order Sons of Italy.
When it was founded in 1977, it was calledthe Palm Springs Lodge. But as a tribute toDolly Sinatra’s charity work in the PalmSprings area and for sharing her only son,Frank, with music lovers all over the world,the name was changed with the approval ofthe Supreme Lodge Order Sons of Italy.
Charitable work Over the years, the Lodge, a non-profit fra-
ternal organization, has helped others by do-nating time and money to such charitable
organizations as the Barbara Sinatra Centerfor Abused Children, Desert Blind and Hand-icapped Foundation, and the Palm SpringsStroke Center. It also awards scholarships tolocal graduating high school students. Threecollege scholarships were awarded this year.
Because of the aggressive participationof its membership in community affairs, theDolly Sinatra Lodge has become one of theleading lodges affiliated with the GrandLodge of California, Order Sons of Italy inAmerica, says LaPorta.
The Order Sons of Italy in America is anational organization of men and women
Arts &Style The new Architecture and Design Cen-ter features a modernism exhibit. Seestory on page 24.
West Coast Artistswestcoastartists.com 818.813.4478Painting by Stephen Schubert
Frances Stevens Park538 N. Palm Canyon Drive
(at Alejo) in Palm Springs
Free Admission!
See DOLLY SINATRA, page 25
By Jorie Parr “When I came to town in 1997, I chose
my bank for its architecture — a classicpavilion.” Internationally renowned sculp-tor Jim Isermann refers to the Palm SpringsArt Museum Architecture and Design Cen-ter, Edward Harris Pavilion. It’s the reincar-nated onetime Santa Fe Federal Savings &Loan building designed by E. StewartWilliams (in 1961) that opened this fall to ablaze of publicity.
Major newspapers, including the New
York Times, Los Angeles Times and the WallStreet Journal are covering the event. Soare such magazines as ArtNews, Travel andLeisure, Surface and Metropolis. StevenNash, retiring Palm Springs Art Museumdirector, says “this one great project is re-ceiving more publicity than any other de-velopment since I joined the museum in2007.”
Elizabeth Neilson Armstrong, who takesover for Nash the first of the year, adds, “Itis one of the exciting developments that
first attracted me to the museum.” In anemail from the Minnesota Institute of Arts,where she is phasing out her job, Arm-strong wrote, “As a midcentury modern afi-cionado, I’m thrilled…Marmol Radzinerdid a fantastic job with this rehabilitation ofthis outstanding example of Desert Mod-ernism.”
As for Sidney Williams, whose vision led
to this quest 8 years ago, “The dream be-came a reality.” Curator of architecture anddesign for the museum, she’s the daughter-in-law of the late E. Stewart Williams. “Thebest thing I did almost 45 years ago wasmarry into this family!”
But along with the exhilaration of launch-
24 Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
Architecture and Design Center opens doors
An exhibit on the building’s famed midcentury architect, E. Stewart Williams, opensthe Palm Springs Art Museum Architecture and Design Center on South PalmCanyon Drive.
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Excelsior College in New York. When he moved to Santa Monica in 1980,
he became one of the first licensed respira-tory therapists in California. About this timehe also took an interest in theater. He actedin plays and founded Performing Arts Serv-ices, which provided entertainment promot-ers and theater owners with an appreciativeaudience in exchange for complimentary tick-ets. This venture named him Entrepreneur ofthe Month in Entrepreneur Magazine.
Continuing his eclectic career, heworked three years at Hugh Hefner’s man-sion as a “Professional Partier.” “I was likea one-man welcoming committee,” said Mc-Donnell. “It was great fun, and I met a lot ofinteresting people.”
A friendship with environmentalist Mar-got Hemingway resulted in McDonnell re-ceiving a two-year loan of a yacht. Hisshipboard classes, called “Race to Edu-cate,” were dedicated to creating awarenessof environmental pollution.
Other professional pursuits followed —public relations, radio-show host, movie critic.
Then in 2003 McDonnell walked into thatflower shop, and his life was forever changed.“The Flower Bank became my mission inlife,” said McDonnell. “The gift of flowers letssomeone know that someone cares.”
McDonnell found time in October tohost the Carol Channing Lifetime Achieve-ment Award presentation at the Mirage Innin Rancho Mirage. Channing was laudedfor her remarkable 70-year career and forher dedication to promoting music educa-tion in the classroom.
Looking back on the past 11 years andthe millions of flowers delivered, McDon-nell quipped, “I think it’s about time someflowers were handed to me. I turned 62 thisyear and now consider myself a full-fledgedsenior citizen.”
In appreciation of all he’s done, a truck-load of flowers wouldn’t be enough.
C O ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 25
FlowersFrom page 1
Flowers bring smiles, says Jim McDonnell,who presents bouquets to Irene Mungo,age 106, left, and Marcella Koehler, atEmeritus at Palm Springs. McDonnell re-ceives flower donations from Trader Joe’s,Whole Foods, Fresh & Easy and LotusFlowers and passes them on at no chargeto residents at retirement homes, hospi-tals, senior centers and others.
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Financial donations can be sent toJim McDonnell at the Flower Bank,32-200 Cathedral Canyon Drive, Suite103, Cathedral City, CA 92234
that represent the estimated 26 millionAmericans of Italian heritage.
The Dolly Sinatra Lodge has honored theachievements of such Italian performers asSonny Bono, Keely Smith, Jerry Vale, HerbJeffries, Michael Dante and Patrick Evans.
Evans, chief meteorologist at CBS Local2 News, makes frequent appearances at theLodge, and on occasion has broadcast hispopular “Eye on the Desert” show fromthere. He’s famous for his fulvios sausagesandwich and pasta salad.
Mike Castalani, a big fan of the Wednes-day night pasta dinner, had this to say:“When I was looking for a place to get a re-ally good Italian meal, I came across ahouse with a sign that said ‘Dolly SinatraLodge.’ That sure sounded Italian to me, soI went in. That was in 1995 — and I’ve beencoming back ever since.”
You might want to call for reservations —because what used to be a well-kept secrethas become a word-of-mouth sensation.
The Dolly Sinatra Lodge is located at1700 E. Sahara Rd., Palm Springs. For moreinformation, call (760) 416-3184 or seewww.dollysinatralodgeosia.org.
Dolly SinatraFrom page 23
ing the A+D center, there was personaltragedy. Dr. Erik and Sidney Williams’daughter, Erin Williams Hyman, died inSeptember. Sidney Williams carried on.
Community supportFashion designer Trina Turk says that
the adaptive reuse of the building “was Sid-ney’s passion, and her ability to communi-cate what could be convinced us to be partof it.”
Along with her husband/partner, Jonathan
Skow, Turk was a major contributor to thecause. “We wanted to reciprocate to the com-munity in a way that matched our preserva-tionist interests.” After all, “Palm Springs hasbeen a vital building block for the Trina Turkand Mr Turk brands.” Their first flagshipstore appeared on North Palm CanyonDrive in 2002.
E. Stewart Williams, arguably the mostesteemed midcentury modern architect inPalm Springs history, also designed thePalm Springs Art Museum in 1976. Twodecades later, he came out of retirement tocreate its expansion. The only way to gowas up, one remembers him saying.
“How did you do that?” actor Kirk Dou-glas asked him. “How did you do Sparta-cus?” he snapped back.
If E. Stewart Williams were still with us,“He’d be thrilled and amazed by so much at-tention paid to his work,” Sidney Williams saidabout her father-in-law. “Really touched. Hewas such a modest man.”
Killer exhibits The current show in the glass and steel
building salutes its maker: “An EloquentModernist: E. Stewart Williams,” throughFeb. 22. Models, photographs, film clips,renderings and drawings highlight his half-century career. Of interest is the first househe erected (1947), after a pop singer walkedinto his downtown office. “And it has to bedone by Christmas,” Frank Sinatra said.
Next up: “Eye of Design: Andrea Zittel’s
Aggregated Stacks and the Collection of thePalm Springs Art Museum,” March 24 toJuly 12. Internationally acclaimed, Zittel(zitTEL) lives in Joshua Tree and ordersonline a lot. What the incredibly inventiveartist does with the leftover boxes promisesto be exciting.
West Coast fashionistas, many admittingto a footwear fetish, will no doubt flock tothe follow up “Killer Heels: the Art of theHigh Heeled Shoe” show after Zittel closes.Yes, it’s the same exhibit that started at theBrooklyn Museum in September that we’veread and heard about.
There are so many of the shoes-as-artforms that Sidney Williams will curate halfof them at A+D in Palm Springs, and MaraGladstone the rest at the Palm Springs ArtMuseum in Palm Desert.
Williams thinks the A+D center, 300 S.Palm Canyon Drive at Baristo Road, will bea catalyst for the neighborhood. For moreinformation: (760) 423-5260, psmuseum.org.
26 Arts & Style | More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com DECEMBER 2 0 1 4 — CO ACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON
Triple digit temps are e e T Tr i p l e d g t t ps a e e e r i i m a g t p e i i e r i g i t te e m p s a re e g o n e !
u uce uce t’s time to ed t e to e t’ t m t t I im o o o o o s e o o t t t e e e s e e e e r i I t ’ s t i m e t to re e u u u d d d c c u u d d d e e e e d u ce e outdoor w r w or w t mes t tiu t w r r r d ou oo o doo t o u t d o o r wa a t te t im i i m m r i n g t i m e e s s . .
Cut your watering time each month through fall and winter. Grass and plants don’t need as much
water during the cool season.
Drought watering guide for turf grass (in minutes per day)
Month Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb.
Spray heads 12 10 7 4 3
Rotary heads 27 22 14 10 6
Individual watering times vary based on sprinkler e!ciency, soil and weather conditions.
y y y y y y y y y y y Coache a Val ey e ey y y y y e Va V V Va a a a a e e l a V V a V Ve e e e e a C C o c e C C C oa o c a c h h e e a C ey V e e e e ch e y ey e a ey C C a a a a a o o o o o o o C C C C C C C C C o o o C o a a a a a a a a a a a a a a c cc c c e e e e e e e e ee V V V V V l l l l l h h h e e e e e c h e l l a V Va y y y y y y y e e e e e e e e l l l l l l l l l l e e e e l l e y D i t t s tt t i i D s s s stD ss c r t r t t st D s s s D stDD D D t c ct c D s t t t r tr r rr c c ri c t c t D i s t t Dis rt D ate ee r r e r r t e t t ta aa e et et Wa a Wa W a e e e er r r r e et t e e t a t a a ee e t aWa Wa Wa r r e ee e te et r r r r eWWa t rre eW W t a a t e e r Wa aa W WWW W W W W W W WW W W W W W W W W a a aaa a a a aa a aa aa a a aa a a W W W WW W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W WW W W W W W W W W W Wa c c c c c c c c c c t tt ttt t t t t t t t ttt t t t t t t t t t t t t t ttt t s s s ss s s s s s s s se ee e e eeeeeee e ee e e e e ee eee e ee D D DD D D D DD D DD D D D D D D D D D D i i i i i i r r r r r r r rr i irrr r r r r r r r D D DD D DD D D D D D De ee e ee e e i i i i Dt e r D i s t r i c t tt t t t tt t t tt t t t t tt t
Stay connected with us! n www.cvwd.orgwww o gvw w rw
ArchitectureFrom page 24
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COACHE L L A VA L L E Y B E A CON — D E C EMBER 2 0 1 4 Say you saw it in the Beacon | Arts & Style 27
28 More at TheBeaconNewspapers.com D E C M E B E R 2 0 1 4 — C O A C H E L L A VA L L E Y B E A C O N
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