By Diane Marlin-Dirkx
There are enough down-time recreational activities hereabouts to keep you spinning through the week and weekends at warp speed, or at least enough to make you dizzy. That’s why you live, or visit, our fair desert paradise. To wit: Golf, tennis, SHOPPING. Gym workouts, breakfast, lunch, SHOPPING. Biking, hiking, SHOPPING. Boutique–trawling, mall-prowling, SHOPPING. By the time many of you go to your summer home, the snow will have melted and slipped away into streams, rivers, and ponds, and even the Great Lakes, over 88% frozen this winter will be deliciously refreshed with water for the months ahead. Before you slip away homeward, cast your moist eyes on this calendar, check out and pencil in a charity fundraiser, a healthy walk for good cause, performances by budding musicians that make you wish you had practiced as your mother demanded. There’s always “tomorrow,” Scarlett. After all, it is another day! This is paradise! Did we mention ”shopping?”
www.SteinwaRiverside.orgSaturday, March 1, 9am (on-site registration), 10am (opening ceremony), 10:30 walk begins. Kicking off the 15th Annual Alzheimer Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is Emcee Jenifer Daniels of KPSP-TV (CBS Local 2) with Honorary co-chairs Pat Kaplan, Palm Desert and Edie Keller, Rancho Mirage at the Palm Desert Civic Center Park,73-510 Fred Waring Dr. at San Pablo. More than 1000 people from across the Coachella Valley are expected to walk the 2 mile route to raise awareness and funds to fight the disease and dementia. While you fight the good cause enjoy Delgado Band music, jazz saxophonist Will Donato, Sherman’s Deli box lunches and Atria Hacienda, children’s activities, wellness exhibits, silent auction, drawings, dog bowls, treats, and awards. Prizes for top fund-raising teams. To sign up, donate cash ore prizes, or volunteer, call 760-328-6767, or go to www.alz.org/socal.
Sunday, March 2, 2-3pm. The Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus (PSGMC0) will sing up a storm to showcase their vocal talents in a Sunday Sounds Series Chorus Program to include Tribute to Armed Forces, Let Freedom Ring, Color Out of Colorado, Glory, Glory Hallelujah, Star Spangled Banner and Homeland, just to name few of the selections from their upcoming Optimistic Voices Concert on April 2 and 27 at Palm Springs High School. The PSGMC mission is to be a chorus of gay men who through musical excellence, community outreach and civic responsibility, are dedicated to entertaining, inspiring and educating the culturally diverse communities in which we live. For more info, or to purchase tickets for upcoming concerts, visit www.PSGMC.com The concert is free and open to the public at Palm Desert Community Center, 43-900 San Pablo Road, Palm Desert.
Monday, March 3, 5:30pm. Spencer’s Restaurant at the Mountain is alive with the “sound of music!” With the wave of a baton, it’s time for the 38th Annual Opera Showcase Concert and Dinner featuring the finalists and winners from the 2013 Western Regional Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. The event will also honor Miriam Hoover with the Mimi Rudolph Award, and Brent McGunn with the 2014 Lilli Joseph Award. Enjoy a wine and cheese reception, operatic concert, award ceremony, delicious 4-Star American dinner and dancing. $200 per person. “Bougainvillea Room,” Spencer’s, 701 W. Baristo Rd., Palm Springs. For reservations, call 760-323-0154, or 750-346-8803.
Saturday, March 8, 6pm. And The Broken Glass Awards” go to only the most extraordinary women who have shattered the glass ceiling in their professions and paved the way for others in the industry. So say the Palm Springs Women in Film and Television (PSWIFT) announcing the line-up for the event in its 6th ground-breaking celebration of the names before the title on marquees on global screens and in our community. This year’s honorees are Actress/Author/Fashion Designer Shari Belafonte, Actress Elinor Donahue, child-singing sensation/philanthropist Peggy Cravens, and Canadian actress Deborah Kara Unger. Tickets, including dinner and awards show, are $175 for nonmembers; $100 for members; and $25, for show-only seating that includes a glass of wine. For more information, contact PSWIFT, 760-238-0306, or go to Broken Glass Awards page on Facebook. Event at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32250 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage.
Sunday, March 9, 11am-1pm. Ooh, la, la! It’s time to “Party in Paris” and you’re invited to a fundraiser for the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Artists Council to an exhibit and Sale and Artists’ Demonstrations just as if you were on a Sunday stroll among the artists in the Place du Tertre in the City of Lights. (Sigh.) Enjoy hors d’oeuvre and champagne served with a French flair by Zin American Bistro. (Double sigh.) This Artists’ Council event and 50% of sales benefit the educational programs of the Palm Springs Art Museum. Limited tickets, $75. For tickets and info, call 760-322-4850, or email rwidner@psmuseum.org The event address is Villa Fontana, 1020 East Via Colusa, Palm Springs.
Monday, March 10, 8:00pm. The McCallum Theatre presents the Canadian Brass, who in legend (and Hollywood) has been on earth heralding every triumphant occasion since joyous, chest-beating triumphs began, putting resounding brass music on the map, echoing off the scenery in robust, loud celebration. Today’s version, pulled together by friends Chuck Dellenbach and Gene Watts revived the quintet orchestration in 1970 with their unbeatable, contagious blend of virtuosity, spontaneity and humor and now they brighten the rosters of concert halls, international festivals and orchestra series throughout the world. Is that glass shattering enough noise for you? Gabrielli to Gershwin, you’re going to love this group, just as their global audience packs the halls from America to Australia to Russia, China to Canada. Tickets are $25 to $75, available at www.mccallumtheatre.com, or call 760-340-ARTS.
Sundays, March 9 and 16, Recitals 12Noon and 6pm. The 2014 Steinway Piano Competition presented proudly by The Steinway Society with juniors, age 7 to 14 performing on March 9, and Seniors, age 14 to 18 performing on March 16. There’s more! Master classes may be observed on both dates for age groups, at 8am and 10am, 2pm and 4pm. What a unique opportunity to witness and enjoy some of the finest musical talent that our Coachella Valley has to offer as performed on a Steinway grand piano, acknowledged as one of the world’s finest musical instruments since 1853. For more information, go to www.SteinwaRiverside.org. Free and open to the public with open seating. Event at Rancho Mirage High School, 31001 Rattler Rd, in the Helene Galen Performing Arts Center.
“Don’t Be Clueless” wants to remind you that press releases for inclusion should be in to the Coachella Valley Weekly at least two weeks ahead of the scheduled event! Thanks!
