Dodgers plan to promote Gavin Stone for start on Wednesday

• April 30, 2023

LOS ANGELES — President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has said the Dodgers went into this season having made the decision to “carve out” opportunities at the big-league level for some of their top prospects.

Another carve-out is coming. Top pitching prospect Gavin Stone will be promoted from Triple-A this week to make his major-league debut in a start against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday afternoon.

The Dodgers gave Stone the news on Saturday. But Dave Roberts would not confirm the upcoming move, saying only that the Dodgers were “possibly” considering an adjustment to the starting rotation this week.

“I can’t speak to it, but possibly. Possibly,” he said.

“It would just be more of — we do decide to do anything — to give guys a blow. But right now, we’re going to stay the course. …  As of now.”

Starting Stone on Wednesday would push Dustin May back to Friday’s series opener in San Diego. May is 1-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 10 career appearances against the Padres, holding them to a .208 batting average.

Perhaps more important, moving May back would give him six days’ rest following his start against the Cardinals in which he threw a career-high 104 pitches. Clayton Kershaw lines up to pitch Saturday in San Diego and Noah Syndergaard on Sunday, both on six days’ rest as well.

The Dodgers play the Padres again the following weekend (May 12-14) with an off day before the series starts. If Stone sticks around for a second start, the Dodgers could potentially start May, Kershaw and Syndergaard against the Padres on six days’ rest again.

The 24-year-old Stone has begun the season 2-2 with a 4.74 ERA in six starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City. But that includes a rough start in the season opener (six runs in 2⅔ innings) and 10 runs allowed in his first 11⅔ innings of the season. Over his past three starts, Stone has allowed three runs on eight hits while striking out 17 in 13 innings.

BEHIND THE MASK

Will Smith made his first start at catcher since returning from a concussion that sidelined him for two weeks. Smith’s first two starts were at DH.

Roberts said Smith has passed all the possible tests to make sure he has recovered — except one.

“Not that I want it — but I think that first one to the face mask,” Roberts said. “You can pass all the tests, which he’s done, feel good, all that stuff, have clarity — and you can’t kind of prepare to get him to come back by hitting him on the mask with a baseball bat, right? So I think that once he gets that first one, then I think everyone will exhale.”related_articles location=”left” show_article_date=”false” article_type=”automatic-primary-section”]

ROLE MODEL

During Saturday’s game against the Cardinals, Roberts pulled rookie infielder Michael Busch alongside him on the top step of the dugout to watch 10-time Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado.

“At that moment I wanted him to appreciate Nolan Arenado and how he’s into every pitch, pre-pitch, the glove position,” Roberts said. “He’s not fleet of foot but he’s one of the best defenders — not only third basemen — in all of baseball. So he (Busch) has a front-row seat to watch one of the best of all time, in my opinion, defensively.

“I think that as a young player, as a veteran player, you’re always kind of caught watching your own teammates. But I think that to be able to widen your scope a little bit to watch other superstar players, it might land better. … It’s an opportunity to learn and get a PhD in how to defend, how to prepare.”

Busch was primarily a first baseman in college. The Dodgers moved him to second base in the minor leagues but also had him start playing third base this season.

UP NEXT

Phillies (RHP Taijuan Walker, 2-1, 4.97 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 0-0, 0.00 ERA), Monday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Stagecoach 2023: 5 fun non-music activities to do at the festival

• April 30, 2023

The Stagecoach Country Music Festival brings out some of the genre’s best performers each year, but like many large scale music events, including its sister Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival, it’s not always just about the music.

There’s plenty to do in between the performances.

The promoters understand that they must cultivate a culture to produce a cohesive experience for attendees with varying and often overlapping interests. At Stagecoach, that involves an umbrella of activations and activities that include Western fashion, barbecue and all the meat you can fit on your plate, and inviting some TV stars from one of the most prominent modern-day Westerns to join the party.

Even if traditional country music isn’t reason enough to get you to buy that festival ticket, there’s a lot more at Stagecoach to explore and multiple ways to get your “Yee-Haw!” on.

Here are five activities we checked out at the festival this year.

Compton Cowboys

It wouldn’t be a country fest without cowboys and horseback riding. Festivalgoers can catch a blend of Hip-Hop and country cultures at the demonstrations done by Compton Cowboys at the Yee-Haw tent. The troupe of Black horseback riders hails from their small ranch in one of the last semi-rural areas of Compton.

Attendees can check out the seven horses in their pen, meet co-founder Randy Savvy and seven other riders or buy drinks or merchandise at their booths.

Speakeasies and a Sober Retreat

Having a cold beer or cocktail at Stagecoach is not unusual, especially with the intense heat, but a couple of spaces offer an elevated experience and, for the first time, a sober option.

There was a place for sober folks to gather and socialize at the 1 Million Strong Wellness Retreat. The space included a decorative lounge with a blow-up guitar and a few art pieces displayed throughout. The retreat staff conversed with fans at the tent and offered them mocktails that included a Strawberry Sundance made with lemon, strawberry and mint and a Grapefruit Fresca made with pressed ruby grapefruit juice, lime and soda.

Two speakeasies from Coachella stayed an extra weekend in their secret locations. Sonny’s by Attaboy, the ’80s-themed Miami Vice bar that blends the aesthetics of warm beaches and a disco hall, offers an oasis vacation vibe in an air-conditioned room that feels extra relaxing, especially in the heavy heat. Tropical drinks include alcoholic slushies, an espresso martini made with coffee liqueur and a tequila, mezcal and watermelon juice drink called the Spicy Flamingo.

Another hidden bar included Please Don’t Tell (PDT), just outside the Craft Beer Barn. PDT usually has a theme and this year, the bar was transformed into an exact replica of the hidden bar New York namesake. The space invokes a rustic and old-school feel with plenty of taxidermy deer and other animals. Drinks include a Mezcal Mule and Garden Tonic, a gin drink mixed with lemon juice, cucumber, celery and tonic.

The third speakeasy was a Sushi Speakeasy hidden in plain sight (hint look for a red door around the Malibu tents). The pop-up was produced by Chef Phillip Frankland Lee’s Sushi by Scratch Restaurants and boasted a 16-course Omakase and Sake pairing. And it costs $375 per person.

“Yellowstone” Dutton Ranch

The Paramount TV show “Yellowstone” had a big presence at Stagecoach, which brought in a replica of the “Yellowstone” Dutton Ranch. The space allowed visitors to relax on wooden furniture and pose by a makeshift chimney with the iconic “Y” emblem in the background. Guests can also play yard games and check out exclusive merchandise related to the show.

Throughout the weekend, the activation fans could see celebrities from the show, which included Eric Nelson, LaMonica Garrett, Amanda Jaros and performances by Luke Grimes, Lainey Wilson and Ryan Bingham on the Mane and Palomino stages.

Fashion Fun

Festival fashion at Stagecoach usually consists of American flag attire, denim shorts and overalls, cowboy hats and boots. If you didn’t come prepared, there was plenty to buy on-site. Nashville singer-songwriter Nikki Lane has a whole set of shops curated for all the Western fashion essentials, including her High Class Hillbilly shop, loaded with vintage boots, hats, and leather goods. The rest of the marketplace inside the Yee-Haw tent had similar items, as well as bikinis and other Western décor. There’s also the smaller Horseshoe Stage for people to enjoy live music while they shop and a bar serving cold drinks.

Another fashion brand, Shein, brought the Shein Saloon activation that included a beauty bar and a drink bar and the space offered free hats, custom bandanas and hosted Cowboy Karaoke with special guest appearances by Elle King and Priscilla Block.

Shade, Swag and Off-roading

For some reason, Stagecoach weekend tends to coincide with a massive heatwave every year, so getting a break from the sun is recommended if you plan on sticking around until the headliners. One of the largest tents at the festival is the outer space and disco-themed Toyota Music Den. The are provides plenty of shade and several accessories, such as Sequoia custom wrap rings, bucket hats, commemorative bandanas and posters. Fans can also sign up for the Toyota Ride & Drive and actually take trucks and SUVs on the off-road course with Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Ivan “Ironman” Stewart and his pro-driving team.

 More Stagecoach Country Music Festival news

Stagecoach 2023: See photos of performers and fans from Day 2

Stagecoach 2023: Kane Brown, Bryan Adams and Nelly close out Day 2

Stagecoach 2023: Guy Fieri, Jon Pardi toss barbecued turkey legs to hungry fans 

Stagecoach 2023: Trixie Mattel slays Late Night in Palomino performance 

Stagecoach 2023: See photos of performers and fans from Day 1

Stagecoach 2023: Luke Bryan keeps fans singing, Jon Pardi gets a surprise on stage during Day 1

Stagecoach 2023: Country music fans, performers brave the heat and cut loose during Day 1

Stagecoach 2023: How to livestream the country music festival from home

Stagecoach 2023: Brooks & Dunn return to the desert and they’re ready to party 

Stagecoach 2023: Everything you need to know about the country music fest 

Stagecoach 2023: Guy Fieri’s barbecue, sushi and lots of drinks on the menu 

​ Orange County Register 

Willie Nelson’s Hollywood Bowl 90th birthday celebration is star-studded event

• April 30, 2023

Three hours into an all-star celebration of Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl, the birthday boy had yet to be seen. He was hanging out backstage as friends such as Lyle Lovett, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton and Beck sang classic songs from his vast catalog.

But then, a little after 10 p.m., as Neil Young sang “Are There Anymore Real Cowboys?” with his sometimes bandmate Stephen Stills on guitar, out from the wings walked Willie, the man of the hour, and the fans that packed the Bowl on Saturday for the first of two birthday shows erupted into cheers and applause.

“I’d like to thank all the artists that came out to help us celebrate whatever we’re celebrating,” Nelson said as he settled into a chair at the center of the stage, his sons Micah and Lukas Nelson, who’d performed earlier in the evening, with guitars on either side of him.

And then it was on with the show, country star George Strait came out to play a pair of songs with Nelson, then Snoop Dogg for one, and finally the entire lineup for the finale of the first night of Long Story Short: An All-Star Celebration of Willie Nelson’s 90th.

The show returns to the Hollywood Bowl Sunday, April 30, with a mostly different group of guest artists to celebrate Nelson’s second 90th birthday. Born on April 29, 1933, his birth certificate wasn’t completed and dated until April 30, 1933, so Nelson has always celebrated both.

The night opened at 7 p.m. sharp with the young country artist Billy Strings, with whom Nelson recently collaborated on Strings’ single “California Sober,” out to do “Whiskey River” and “Play a Little Longer,” and the party was underway with 40 songs and more than 30 guest artists over the next three-and-a-half hours.

Many of the performers shared a memory or two about Willie or the song they’d chosen before singing. Singer-songwriter Edie Brickell said Nelson’s music was the soundtrack to weekend housecleaning when she was a girl and that her father loved “Whiskey River” so much that it was played at his funeral.

“Willie is like a spirit guide,” she said before playing “Remember Me (When the Candlelights are Gleaming).” “He helped us work, he helped us play, he helped us grieve.”

Lyle Lovett chose Nelson’s “Hello Walls” because it seemed “the perfect song” from the moment he heard it as a boy in Houston. Margo Price noted she’d grown up on a farm and praised Nelson for his tireless work on behalf of farmers over the years before she and Nathaniel Rateliff sang the saucy, swinging “I Can Get Off on You,” which Nelson wrote with his close friend Waylon Jennings.

Performers came and went quickly, most only there for a single song, choosing either tunes written by Nelson or associated with him through his own covers and performances of them.

Norah Jones, who’s performed with Nelson’s band often over the years, played a pair including the piano instrumental “Down Yonder” in tribute to Nelson’s late sister Bobbie Nelson, who was the piano player in his band for nearly 50 years until her death at 91 in 2022.

In a show like this, it all feels special, one star after another coming out to pay tribute to a legend. But the appearance of Kris Kristofferson midway through Roseanne Cash‘s performance of Kristofferson’s “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)” felt like the first big emotional moment of the show. At 86, Kristofferson is no longer the robust figure of his younger days, but with Cash gently leading him, their duet was touching and beautiful.

Nelson’s long appreciation for all genres of music showed up in the disparate styles of each new artist on stage. Lukas Nelson sounded eerily like his father on a lovely version of “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.” Texas blues singer and guitarist Gary Clark Jr. delivered a blast of energy with “Texas Flood,” a song most associated with fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Laidback singer-songwriter Jack Johnson got the crowd both laughing and singing along to “Willie Got Me Stoned and Took All My Money,” a song he said he wrote after unsuccessfully trying to keep up with Nelson at two of his favorite pursuits, smoking pot and playing poker.

The reggae grooves of Ziggy Marley singing “Still Is Moving to Me” blended somehow into the big-voiced pop of singer Tom Jones doing “Opportunity To Cry,” which in turn led to the hard country of Jamey Johnson on “Live Forever” and the slow blues of Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead doing “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”

The bigger names – it’s all relative in a show like this – came in the back half of the set. The Chicks, who were introduced by actress Jennifer Garner to sing a rousing take on “Bloody Mary Morning.” (Garner, along with actors Owen Wilson, Ethan Hawke, and Helen Mirren, served as occasional emcees for the show.)

The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites did a beautiful version of Leon Russell’s “A Song For You” during which the crowd went as quiet as it was all night. Moments later, Nathaniel Rateliff and Miranda Lambert had loud fan choruses throughout their performances of “City of New Orleans” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”

As Nelson’s arrival on stage neared, Chris Stapleton, who the following night would be the headliner at the Stagecoach festival in Indio, arrived to sing a pair of songs, including a gorgeously moving version of “You Were Always on My Mind,” one of Nelson’s greatest covers.

Young and Stills cranked up the volume and energy just before 10 p.m. with “Long May You Run” and “For What It’s Worth,” the latter of which had fans on their feet to dance and sing, before Nelson finally appeared.

His set offered eight songs to close the night. George Strait, who’s been around so long you can forget how great he is, sang “Sing One With Willie,” his 2019 duet with Nelson, in which Strait amusingly bemoans how he’s never had that pleasure. He stuck around for another tune, the great “Pancho & Lefty,” which Nelson originally sang with the late Merle Haggard.

Snoop Dogg, who unlike Jack Johnson can definitely keep up with Nelson on at least one of his favorite pursuits, arrived to do “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die,” the warmth of their friendship clear in the grins and laughter they shared throughout the number.

After the full lineup filed back on stage, Nelson led them through “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” and “I’ll Fly Away,” and then led the full Bowl in singing “Happy Birthday” to himself – it’s Willie’s party, he can sing it any way he wants.

“It’s Hard to Be Humble,” a Mac Davis song Nelson covered on a recent record, closed out the night, with a bit of kind of tongue-in-cheek humor and a sly smile from Nelson.

“Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way,” he sang as the audience cheered. “I can’t wait to look in the mirror, ’cause I get better lookin’ each day.”

With that, and a wave to the crowd, he was gone, if only ’til the next night.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Angels’ Zach Neto says he’s happy to accept pain for a free base

• April 30, 2023

MILWAUKEE — Zach Neto has heard the well-meaning advice, but he’s not taking it.

“My teammates say ‘Get out of the way, get out of the way,’ ” Neto said. “But as long as I’m getting on base for (Mike) Trout and (Shohei) Ohtani, I’m doing my job.”

The Angels rookie shortstop now hits leadoff, ahead of Trout and Ohtani, and he has quickly established in his first couple weeks in the big leagues that he has a knack for raising his on-base percentage the painful way.

Neto has been hit by a pitch seven times already, which is the most times a player has been hit in his first 15 big league games since 1901. Neto didn’t draw a walk until Sunday, but he but he still finished the game with a had a .350 on-base percentage to go with his .250 batting average.

Neto, who said he got hit a lot in high school and college too, has often heard comparisons to Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, who owns the modern major league record with 285 times getting hit by a pitch.

“At this rate, I’m definitely on pace (to break the record),” Neto said with a smile.

Neto said he has always preferred to stand close to the plate, which is probably the main reason why he gets hit so much.

“That’s the way I’ve always been hitting my whole life,” Neto said. “I don’t know what the pitchers think. Maybe they are trying to establish the inner half and they miss their spot trying to be perfect. And the ball ends up hitting me. It’s nothing new.”

Neto’s distinctive leg kick might also be a part of the equation. He said he has already got his foot down by the time the ball hits him, so he doesn’t think the leg kick is preventing him from getting out of the way, but it could be a distraction for the pitcher.

“Even our (batting practice) throwers say it’s kind of intimidating, having my leg kick go across home plate like that,” Neto said. “Maybe that’s a factor. Maybe not.”

Manager Phil Nevin said he’s OK with Neto’s approach because he’s got padding on “his vital parts,” but he also wouldn’t mind his shortstop playing it a little safer.

“It would be alright if he gets out of the way and gets a hit,” Nevin said. “That would be better.”

Neto said he has never been injured when he’s been hit by a pitch. He admitted he got a scare when Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes hit him with a 94.6-mph sinker on Saturday night. Neto got his padded left elbow out of the way, but then ball hit him in the right forearm.

He said his arm initially went numb.

“It got me a little higher on the arm this time,” Neto said on Sunday. “Until I got some feeling back in my arm, my whole arm went numb and I got a little scared, but then I saw where I got hit. It was in the meaty part.”

This is Zach Neto’s 7th HBP, in his 15th game. Looked painful. He’s staying in the game for now, but stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/ZnRcw7YllK

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) April 29, 2023

Neto took a few moments, but then went to first. After the inning, he took the field with a compression sleeve on his right arm to prevent swelling. He said he would continue to wear the sleeve on Sunday.

“I’m kind of used to it,” Neto said. “Here the ball moves way more so it’s kind of harder to get out of the way. But OBP is going up, so that’s a positive out of it.”

WARREN SHUT DOWN

Right-hander Austin Warren underwent an MRI exam on his sore elbow. Nevin didn’t have the official diagnosis but said he’s now certain to miss more than the minimum 15 days for his injured list stint.

“He needs to be shut down for a little bit,” Nevin said. “How long that time period is I don’t know. Right now we’re looking at a few weeks before he can pick up a ball.”

The Angels had hoped Warren could provide some quality work in their bullpen after he began the season with seven scoreless innings at Triple-A. He appeared in two games with the Angels before feeling discomfort in his elbow.

UNBALANCED SCHEDULE

After losing the first two games of the series in Milwaukee, the Angels ensured that they will finish April without winning a series against a team that currently has a winning record.

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The series they have won have been against the last-place Oakland A’s (twice), Washington Nationals, Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners. They lost series against the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Brewers. The only one of those series that was at home was Toronto.

The Angels were 14-14 heading into the final game of the month on Sunday.

“That doesn’t concern me, no,” Nevin said before Sunday’s game. “We’ve got to play them. We’ve got to play them all. We played those (winning) teams on the road too. So that’s a little bit different story. We’re still trying to find our own identity. I know that it’s coming. It’s coming fast. Sitting here at .500, in the position we’re at, in the kind of a stretch we had, I’m not exactly OK with it, but I know we’re in a good place.”

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval, 2-1, 3.16) vs. Cardinals (LHP Steven Matz, 0-3, 6.23), Tuesday, 4:45 p.m., Busch Stadium, Bally Sports West,  830 AM.

​ Orange County Register 

Stop tormenting taxpayers with toxic transit systems

• April 30, 2023

What is it with California that it just doesn’t know how to run a railroad?

This column has, on several occasions, covered the abysmal history of the nation’s largest boondoggle, high-speed rail. With every passing day, it becomes increasingly obvious that it will never be completed and all that will remain is a series of concrete pylons in the Central Valley that will become California’s version of Stonehenge. 

This past week two news items highlighted another rail disaster unfolding in California. First was the report that a police sergeant with LAPD had his finger bitten off by a homeless man in East Hollywood. The second news item was a request from transit advocates for a $5 billion bailout of California’s failing transit systems. The proposal is being pushed by Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, who said that without the state cash, BART and other big-city transit systems will have to make drastic service cuts.

Senator Weiner is correct about California transit systems being on the verge of bankruptcy, but he is wrong to suggest that the problem will be fixed with a bailout from taxpayers already paying billions for the self-inflicted wounds of poor planning and bad management. 

It is indisputable that California’s major transit systems are in trouble, but among the several reasons for that trouble, only the pandemic was beyond the control of politicians. No one disputes the impact that COVID-19 had as millions of Californians were told to stay at home. But even here one must wonder whether California’s chosen pandemic response contributed to the severe economic blow. The economic damage from the pandemic was less severe in other states which remained more open. 

In any event, that ship has sailed and Covid is no longer the concern that it was three years ago. But the second big problem for California is the shift toward more at-home work, which has prevented the largest transit agencies from reaching their pre-pandemic ridership levels. Without riders, farebox revenue falls. And while virtually all of California’s more than 200 transit agencies receive government subsidies, the big ones in Los Angeles and the Bay Area have been more reliant on paying customers for a significant percentage of their operating expenses.  

Many, if not most, of the problems facing transit systems have nothing to do with pandemics or changing work habits but are matters which can be addressed with better management. For example, riders need assurance that if they come to rely on transit, they are not subject to the threat of work stoppages or strikes. President Biden had to bend over backward to avoid a rail strike in 2022. But labor issues can bring a transit system to a halt, as happened to BART in 2013.

Finally, perhaps the biggest deterrent to increased ridership in our major metropolitan areas is safety. Let’s face it. Riding the MTA in Los Angeles or BART in the Bay Area is putting your life at risk. On MTA, incidences of rape, assault, robbery and murder went up 24% in the last two years and over 20 people have died riding the L.A. Metro already in 2023. The increase in crime became so acute that Metro started a program to hire “Transit Ambassadors” to ride on the trains, provide minimal security, help riders, and direct homeless people to social services. 

But even with enhanced security, there are other concerns with large urban transit districts. According to a recent article in Center Square, “Riders described an overwhelming stench, encounters with mentally unstable individuals, avoidance of human waste, trash, open drug and alcohol use, aggressive behavior towards passengers and indecent exposure.” Few, if any, passengers on BART or MTA would describe their rides as pleasant. 

In short, until California’s major transit districts start acting like businesses focused on customer satisfaction to bring back ridership, their problems will only grow worse. And they need to show that they’re serious about these improvements before asking for billions more from California’s beleaguered taxpayers.

Related links

OCTA awarded $45 million to invest in transit projects
It’s time to make a realistic transit plan for California
Public transit’s problems have little to do with money
Mass transit merits the budget cut it may get in California
Transportation news: The Orange County Register

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

​ Orange County Register 

Dance a little, nosh a lot

• April 30, 2023

By Penny E. Schwartz

Correspondent

The aroma of Jewish foods and the lively sounds of klezmer music will fill Clubhouse 1 in Laguna Woods as the Jewish Food Festival returns Sunday, April 30, with a cornucopia of traditional and favorite palate pleasers.

The third edition of this popular fest is back after a three-year pandemic hiatus. It was last held in 2019, with more than 1,200 hungry eaters in attendance. The festival takes place from 5-8 p.m. in the Clubhouse 1 Main Lounge and patio.

Sponsored by the Reform Temple of Laguna Woods, the festival includes the participation of other Village Jewish organizations such as ORT America, Hadassah, the National Council of Jewish Women and the Shalom Club, as well as the Chabad Jewish Center of Aliso Viejo and Laguna Woods and the Laguna Woods Friends of Jewish Federation of Orange County.

“It’s an opportunity for all the Jewish organizations in the Village to cooperate in providing a good three hours of food and fun,” said Lynne Rosenstein, chair of the event.

Diners can nosh on delicatessen delicacies to the upbeat music of the Shtetl Menschen Klezmer Band from Long Beach. Close-up magician Nate Kvetny, a temple member, will also entertain the crowd, with intervals of Israeli dancing led by temple member and dance instructor Rebeca Gilad.

A silent auction will feature around 100 gift cards for restaurants, stores and markets as well as donated artwork and jewelry.

Rosenstein, former president of the Reform Temple, participated in a similar festival in her previous home in Bakersfield.

“It was fun and successful and served as an introduction to the Jewish community in a place where not many Jews lived,” she said. “Here it provides an opportunity for all the Village Jewish groups to do something cooperative and makes for a wonderful feeling of togetherness.”

It also introduces people not familiar with Jewish food to a great variety of it, she said.

The sandwich menu includes brisket on a Kaiser roll and pastrami on rye, both served with coleslaw and dill pickle. Lox with a schmear of cream cheese on a bagel is dressed with tomato, onion and coleslaw. Barbecued kosher-style hot dogs will be accompanied by chips.

The brisket and coleslaw are being purchased from Jolanda’s Cafe & Catering. Kosher Bite Deli is donating the pickles.

Home-baked goods will feature traditional rugelach (rolled pastries filled with fruit), sour cream coffee cake and Mandelbrot (sweet crispy biscuits) made from recipes provided by temple members.

Also for sale will be chicken soup with matzo balls and small challahs (braided breads) made by Chabad, noodle kugel (pudding) from ORT, halvah (a sweet, sesame-based dessert) from the National Council of Jewish Women, and traditional East Coast egg cream drinks from the Shalom Club. Hadassah members will be selling the club’s signature Jewish cookbook.

The festival is open to all Village residents and their guests, and admission is free, with food tickets sold at at the event for $1 each for purchase of items ranging from $1 for a soda to $14 for a sandwich.

Food tickets are also being sold in advance. Get them at the Clubhouse 1 Drop-In Lounge from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. today, Thursday, April 27. They’ll also be available there from 10 a.m. to noon. Friday, April 28. Menus from which to choose will be available.

Parking at Clubhouse 1 during the festival will be at a premium. The Reform Temple has contracted with Age Well for a bus to shuttle attendees from the Clubhouse 4 parking lot to Clubhouse 1 at no cost to riders beginning at 4:45 p.m. The bus will run a continuous loop, with the final run leaving Clubhouse 1 at 7:45 p.m.

The inaugural festival in 2018 drew about 1,000 people, much to the surprise of the organizers, who ran out of food.

“In 2019, we made sure to have enough food for everyone,” Rosenstein said.

The committee is preparing for the numbers that showed up that year. “We are very conscious of not running out of food,” she added.

Around 130 volunteers from the temple will help staff the event, each wearing a distinctive gold T-shirt with the festival logo.

“Some volunteers may have signed up just to get the T-shirt,” Rosenstein said with a laugh.

This festival serves as a major fundraiser for the temple, Rosenstein said, promising it “should be a fun-filled, feel-good event for all.”

For questions, call Rosenstein at 562-773-5107.

RECIPES

Rugelach, from Susan Gaile Bain

DOUGH

½ pound cream cheese (room temperature)

½ pound unsalted butter (room temperature)

Cream together in bowl with beaters until well blended.

¼ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt (use coarse salt)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Add these three ingredients and mix in.

2 cups flour

Add flour and mix in until mixture pulls together.

Dump onto a lightly floured board, flour hands and gently make a large ball. Flatten somewhat. Cut in quarters and roll into four balls. Chill dough for about a half hour (will be easier to roll out).

FILLING

1 cup well-chopped walnuts

6 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ cup dark raisins (If doing log-shaped dough, raisins will need to be chopped or cut in half.)

While the dough is chilling, mix the walnuts, brown sugar cinnamon and dark raisins together and set aside.

Prepare the jam* and set aside, the cinnamon sugar mixture* and set aside and the egg wash*and set aside.

*Apricot jam: Mix about ¾ cup jam and 1 teaspoon water combined with a fork until smooth enough for spreading.

*Cinnamon mixture: 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 3 tablespoons white sugar for sprinkling. (I put this into a jar that sprinkles.)

*Egg wash: Crack egg and put in bowl. Add about half a shell filled with some water. Beat with a fork. (This is used for brushing onto prepared rugelach.)

Once the dough is a little firm, roll into approximately a 9-inch circle on a floured board.

Spread on apricot jam gently so as not to tear dough. (If jam needs more thinning so as not to tear dough, add a little more water.)

Sprinkle nut mixture over top. Gently press into dough.

Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of that.

Cut a circle of dough gently in half and each half in half.

Then each quarter gets cut into three pie-slice shapes (triangles.)

The fun begins. Roll up from outside edge to middle.  Curve ends a little (kind of like a crescent) and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and chill.

Brush egg wash onto each piece. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture on top.

Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, about 25 minutes, maybe a little more. Rotate cookie sheets if the top is browning faster than the bottom.

Remove from cookie sheets and cool on racks.

*****

Mandelbrot, from Lynne Rosenstein

INGREDIENTS

1 cup oil

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1tablespoon almond extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Mixed cinnamon and sugar

PROCEDURE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla and almond extract.

Add dry ingredients and mix well at low speed.

Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.

With floured hands, shape three logs 2 inches wide on a lightly greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cool for about 15-20 minutes.

Cut ¾-inch slices and place on side on cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes on each side.

Watch to make sure they don’t get too brown.

*****

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Use three 8” x 8” square foil pans

Or one tube pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sour cream

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ pound butter = 2 sticks (room temperature)

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

3 cups flour

FILLING

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Mix sour cream and baking soda together and set aside.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together. Add eggs one at a time and sour cream mixture.

Sift flour and add to creamed mixture.

Mix filling together.

Fill each greased pan half with the batter; sprinkle half the filling on top, fill with remaining batter and top with remaining filling.

With a knife cut through batter to swirl.

Bake Tube pan at 350 for 50 minutes or until done.

Bake 8-inch squares at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

​ Orange County Register 

Stagecoach 2023: Ready to party, yet stay sober? There’s a tent for that

• April 30, 2023

There’s a new lounge at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival right next to an ID-check booth. But unlike most of the other bars at the Indio event, there’s no need to get a wristband before you check it out.

It’s called the 1 Million Strong wellness tent, and it arises out of an initiative with the same name to provide an alcohol-free environment where people can meet up and enjoy music together.

“The idea behind 1 Million Strong is that we can create a better experience, a more inclusive, empowering experience for folks who choose a sober lifestyle and people who are in recovery within the music industry,” said Emilia Huneke-Bergquist, director of events and activations for Stand Together Music, one of the partners behind the initiative. Another is The Phoenix, a nationwide community for people in recovery and their supporters.

“It’s not something that starts with festivals. We want to work with venues, we want to work with industry leaders and artists and songwriters,” she added. “We just want to help build a bigger tent for anyone who’s interested.”

The tent at Stagecoach includes a bar serving two mocktails for $12, Strawberry Sundance and Grapefruit Fresca; couches, poufs and coffee tables on cowhide-patterned carpet; and a 360 photo booth with country music props for fans to pose with.

“Typically if you are in recovery and you go to a festival and say, hey, I need a space, they’re going to consider that an emergency,” she said. “They’re going to take you outside the event. They’re going to take you to an isolated place that maybe has a folding table and some chairs. It’s away from the music. It’s away from the people. What we’re trying to do is say, if you need a space like that, we’re not going to send you away. We’re not going to put you all alone. We’re going to put you in a tent that’s comfy and cozy and full of people, and full of life.”

Huneke-Bergquist said festival promoter Goldenvoice reached out to 1 Million Strong to be at Stagecoach and other festivals, including Just Like Heaven on May 13 and Cruel World on May 20 at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Huneke-Berguist said there’s a large number of people either in recovery or people know someone who is, so there is room for a space like 1 Million Strong, even in the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll culture of the music industry. She also pointed to the popularity of mocktails in the culture at large.

“In music festivals generally, it’s a party vibe. It’s party city. That’s why you come,” she said. “It’s surprising to find a sober space in a venue like that. But the feedback we’ve gotten from fans tells us, tells organizers, that this is the right decision. There is a demographic out there that is really eager for spaces like this.”

 More Stagecoach Country Music Festival news

Stagecoach 2023: See photos of performers and fans from Day 2

Stagecoach 2023: Kane Brown, Bryan Adams and Nelly close out Day 2

Stagecoach 2023: Guy Fieri, Jon Pardi toss barbecued turkey legs to hungry fans 

Stagecoach 2023: Trixie Mattel slays Late Night in Palomino performance 

Stagecoach 2023: See photos of performers and fans from Day 1

Stagecoach 2023: Luke Bryan keeps fans singing, Jon Pardi gets a surprise on stage during Day 1

Stagecoach 2023: Country music fans, performers brave the heat and cut loose during Day 1

Stagecoach 2023: How to livestream the country music festival from home

Stagecoach 2023: Brooks & Dunn return to the desert and they’re ready to party 

Stagecoach 2023: Everything you need to know about the country music fest 

Stagecoach 2023: Guy Fieri’s barbecue, sushi and lots of drinks on the menu 

​ Orange County Register 

Artist of the Year 2023 for dance: Jonah Smith

• April 30, 2023

Jonah Smith did something none of the other student dancers tried in their live presentations for Artist of the Year.

He performed without music.

Like all 15 semifinalists, he had five minutes to show off his talent on the dance floor at Chapman University’s newly opened Sandi Simon Center for Dance.

Meet other Artists of the Year

Film and TV: Magdalena Aparicio, Yorba Linda High School
Theater: Selma Elbalalesy, Aliso Niguel High School
Instrumental music: Lucie Kim, Orange County School of the Arts
Vocal music: Adrianna Tapia, Santa Ana High School
Fine Arts: Alexandra Hernandez, Costa Mesa High School
Media arts: Zachary Cramer, Fountain Valley High School

Smith, 17, chose to specialize in commercial dance. Dancers in all categories had to self-choreograph at least one of their two numbers. Smith created the steps for both his pieces.

He began with a contemporary dance to the spoken word “Interrogation” by Travis Lake. Throughout, an interrogator repeatedly asked the question, “How does it feel to be broken?”

Smith’s second performance — to “Therapy” by Andrew Garfield and Vanessa Hudgens — reflected his background in musical theater. He started as a youngster doing musicals and a year later, at 6, the theater studio suggested he try its new dance program.

Jonah Smith, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, is the 2023 Artist of the Year in dance. Jonah is shown in the Attallah Piazza fountain at Chapman University in Orange on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

He’s been a dancer ever since — using movement to work through those times when he himself might have felt as if bottled-up emotions might break him.

In describing his love for dance, Smith wrote: “I found that this new form of communication could better demonstrate what I was trying to say on a personal level, and it has been a joy in my life ever since.”

The joy shone through in his performance to “Therapy.” He had only heard that song for the first time a month earlier and prepared his choreography specifically for the Artist of the Year presentation.

His choreography to “Interrogation” was also a first — Smith had never attempted to dance to a spoken word performance before.

Jonah Smith, a senior at Orange County School of the Arts, is the 2023 Artist of the Year in dance. Jonah is shown in the Attallah Piazza fountain at Chapman University in Orange on Sunday, April 16, 2023. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

He did both dances in a pair of loose, sparkly pants split on the sides of each leg up to the knee. Yes, that attire also caught the judges’ eyes.

No surprise that one of his dreams for the future is to go on tour as a dancer with a musical artist. Rihanna, to be specific.

“The Super Bowl,” Smith told the panel, referring to Rihanna’s halftime show at Super Bowl LVII in February, “changed my life.”

That comment got a chuckle from the six judges, but later as they discussed the Artist of the Year contenders, his words and actions stood out as serious business.

“I felt like I was witnessing a pure artist,” said Heather Gillette, a professor of dance who co-chairs the Santa Ana College dance department.

Judy Scialpi, a dance teacher at Northwood High School, said Smith’s thoughtful remarks “made me want to have an artistic conversation with him.”

Smith will be around for her to follow up on that if she wants — he said he’s “100% committed” to attending Chapman University as a dance major.

So, look for him at the Sandi Simon Center for Dance before he heads out on tour someday.

Dance finalists

Dance is divided into four specialties: commercial dance, concert dance, hip hop, and world/cultural dance. In addition to Artist of the Year, the judges selected finalists in each category.

Alexandria Rose Schachter of Costa Mesa, a senior studying at Newport Harbor High School, was selected as the finalist in the specialty of commercial dance for Artist of the Year in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Reo Derrick)

Commercial Dance: Alexandria Rose Schachter, 18, senior at Newport Harbor High. She’s earned a scholarship to attend the University of Arizona and auditioned for USC as well. She’d love to go on tour as a dancer and choreograph for the screen and stage. Her dad is a special education P.E. teacher and Schachter grew up understanding the potential for connection through movement: “Dance is such a universal language. Everyone can move their body.”

Courtney Chiu of Westminster, a senior studying at the Orange County School of the Arts, was selected as the finalist in the specialty of concert dance for Artist of the Year in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Claire Imler)

Concert Dance: Courtney Chiu, 17, senior at Orange County School of the Arts. Chiu’s love for dance started when she was 7 and followed her sister’s footsteps into baby Hulu classes. (Her mother grew up in Hawaii.) She loved the drums, the gourds, the skirts, the flowers in her hair. “I was always so excited. I always remember I dance because I love it.” She plans to study dance and psychology in college, hoping to explore how dance can help people with dementia.

Faith Aguilar of Tustin, a senior studying at the Orange County School of the Arts, was selected as the finalist in the specialty of hip hop for Artist of the Year in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Ulrika Molin)

Hip-hop: Faith Aguilar, 17, senior at Orange County School of the Arts. Hip hop dance comes naturally to her. After all, her parents met at a 24 Hour Fitness hip hop class. But she likes to challenge herself and grow as a dancer. She wants to earn a degree in fine arts, then pursue a career in commercial dance, choreograph for the stage, and teach. As an artist, Aguilar wrote, “the goal is to remind our fast-paced society to slow down and focus on the real substance within people.”

Raaga Mahesh of Irvine, a junior studying with private instructor Viji Prakash, was selected as the finalist in the specialty of world/cultural dance for Artist of the Year in 2023. (Photo courtesy of John Merrell)

World/Cultural Dance: Raaga Mahesh, 16, junior at Irvine High. Her mother and her aunt were both practiced in Bharatanatym, the classical South Indian style of dancing. Inspired by them, Mahesh says she began her own study of Bharatanatym “before I could even walk” and learned the foundation of the art form on visits to India in classes her aunt taught. She considers herself fortunate to have grown up in a family that knows the importance of art in one’s life.

​ Orange County Register