Category Archives: Food and Drink

COACHELLA 2014: Craft beer, real bathrooms among festival’s positive changes

People check out the Craft Beer Barn at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12, 2014. (Charlotte Bray/Freelance Photographer)

One of the things that has made the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival such a success is how the festival has morphed over the last 15 years. This year, permanent bathrooms and craft beer are among the changes.

A server pours in the Craft Beer Barn at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 12, 2014. (Charlotte Bray/Freelance Photographer)

Craft Beer Barn: Hands down, the number one change for 2014 that people have been raving about is the Craft Beer Barn adjacent to the Yuma Tent. While Heineken still dominates the main beer gardens at the festival, dozens of craft brews are on tap in the Beer Barn, where a pour is $10, and size varies on the alcohol content of the beer. (For reference, a small Heineken goes for $7 and a large goes for $9.)

The structure is kind of barn-shaped, but open. You can hear the beats of the nearby new location of the Do Lab and the pulsing rhythms of the Yuma Tent, but it’s away from the main action.

“This is kind of the oasis,” said Vivek Hungund, of Los Angeles, enjoying a blonde beer while attending his first Coachella.

The craft beers feature breweries from around the country, including some from the Inland region. Wiens Brewing from Temecula and Hangar 24 Brewery in Redlands both had offerings in the dozens of rotating beers.

“The fact that they’re changing it up every hour–you have to try everything,” Angel Soriano, of Menifee, said.

He also liked the food offerings exclusive to the beer barn, which included Tony’s Darts Away and Beer Belly, pop-up versions of restaurants from Burbank and Los Angeles, respectively.

Soriano was a fan of the strong Belgian ales on tap.

“I want to have a strong beer that also has a lot of flavor,” Soriano said.

Bathrooms: After all of that beer, well, you might need to find a facility. While Coachella does have decent portable restrooms (including a number of air-conditioned trailer-style ones), one of the biggest changes of 2014 is that there are finally real restrooms at the festival.
Unfortunately, it’s only for women this year, but there are dozens of stalls in a concrete structure across from the Beer Barn with real flushing toilets, sinks, hand dryers and the all-important items of toilet seat covers and toilet paper.

Also, they’re clean, we’re talking cleaner than Disneyland clean. The maintenance was top notch.

COACHELLA 2014: My top 15 Coachella Festival weekend one moments

Concertgoers enjoy the Lightweaver art installation by Alexis Rochas during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio on Sunday, April 13, 2014. (Rodrigo Pena/Freelance Photographer)

I’ve been covering the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for eight years. The festival is unlike anything else I’ve been to before or since. It’s not just a concert, but a memory machine. I’m incredibly grateful that I get to cover this and report on it for my job. These are my 15 favorite things from the 15th edition of the festival. They’re not in any particular order, just how they came to mind as I process all of my experiences today. You can see all of our coverage from the weekend and dozens of photo galleries over at http://x.pe.com/coachellahome.

Win Butler of Arcade Fire sings at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Sunday, April 13, 2014. (Rodrigo Pena/Freelance Photographer)

1. Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire’s set was spectacular, from the moment everyone was jumping around to “Rebellion (Lies)” to the Debbie Harry guest spot on “Heart of Glass” to the unplugged “Wake Up” second line with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band through the crowd. And I finally got a really cool confetti shot. Rodrigo Pena got even better photos of the show. You can see his photo gallery of Arcade Fire at Coachella over at PE.com. I didn’t think they were going to be able to top the LED balloon drop of 2011, but they so did, and in such an organic, truly musical way.

2. The Dismemberment Plan
You know when you love a band you haven’t seen them for a really long time and then they play every single song you want to hear? And they sound amazing, even in a crazy dust storm that is shaking the glass chandeliers in the tent? Yep, that’s what The Dismemberment Plan was for me. The last show I had seen was the farewell at the 9:30 Club in D.C. back in 2003 and I haven’t been able to see them since they reformed. By the way, the new record, “Uncanney Valley,” is top-notch. I highly recommend it, but if you’re just getting into them, “Emergency & I” is the gateway album. I don’t care that Muse, Nas, Pet Shop Boys and Skrillex were also playing–for all of us in the Gobi Tent at midnight Saturday night/Sunday morning, it was a high and being from Maryland, I felt a little bit closer to home.

3. Coachella Art Studios
This year I got to do a story on the amazing things going on at the Coachella Art Studios (it’s in the campground, but you don’t have to be a camper to partake in the crafts). I also got to make my own bracelet out of a bicycle inner tube. I was kind of tripping out that I was actually creating my own art at the festival. It was also great to meet and see so many Inland artists who were helping out at the fest. It is open Friday-Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. so get there early and make some art! Go support the Coachella Valley Art Scene, too.

Walking into the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Friday, April 11, 2014 was pretty darn magical. (Vanessa Franko/Staff)

4. Walking in
When I arrived on site Friday, I booked it over to the camping area to talk to folks about the Coachella Art Studios, but when I was heading into the festival from the campground, the scene took my breath away. There were some light clouds over the mountains in the distance and the Ferris wheel was straight ahead. It’s an image that will be forever emblazoned in my mind.

Pharrell Williams performs at the 2014 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. (Tom Bray/Staff)

5. Pharrell Williams
With a crazy amount of guest stars, how could Williams’ set not make you “Happy”? (See what I did there?) I would never have predicted that we’d see Gwen Stefani and Nelly. Maybe next week we get Daft Punk? As I mentioned in my Best and Worst of Coachella story, there were enough stars here to reboot “The Love Boat.” See photos of Pharrell at Coachella.

6. Dining at Kazu Nori
One of my assignments over the weekend was to try out the new higher-end foods at the festival (tough job, right?), but I had the chance to have sushi at the pop-up sushi bar Kazu Nori, and it really was a sushi bar where you sat and watched the chef make your rolls. The toro hand roll was amazing. We did an entire story about the food.

7. Meeting people
One of the greatest things about Coachella for me is meeting fellow music lovers. I love how Coachella brings us all together. I’m particularly grateful for the people I meet who turn out to be readers. They wouldn’t let me do this without you. Thank you.

8. The Replacements
How many years have I been wanting to see this reunion? I loved that Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson actually seemed HAPPY to be at the same place at the same time. I loved Westerberg’s magician’s roses. I loved their suits. Most of all, I loved the rock show they put on packed full of some of the most influential music at the festival. Hearing “Alex Chilton,” “Androgynous” and “Left of the Dial” was pretty rad. See photos of The Replacements at Coachella.

9. Sunset with Neutral Milk Hotel
I am a big fan of the sunset set. And sunset at the Outdoor Theatre is spectacular and possibly the all-time perfect venue for the reunion of Neutral Milk Hotel. They sounded great, and I created more art in order to capture the moment forever.

10. The Afghan Whigs
Greg Dulli’s howls and yowls made me happy. The Afghan Whigs are another band I was into, but never had a chance to see until now. Check out photos of The Afghan Whigs at Coachella.

Paul Hampton performs with Fishbone at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. (Charlotte Bray/Freelance Photographer)

11. Fishbone and the theremin
I really thought Angelo Moore might be right and we really were going to blast off into space. You need bright sunshine to hear “Everyday Sunshine.” It was also super rad to see The Skeletones’ Paul Hampton up there on the keytar. There need to be more keytars. Check out our photos of Fishbone.

12. Graveyard
Sweden brings some of the best music to Coachella. Case in point–Graveyard, who had that early blues groove of Black Sabbath and melted my face a bit on the main stage Saturday afternoon.

13. Pixies play “Wave of Mutilation”
Yep, I was wildly air drumming to this. I feel great about it.

14. Janelle Monae shows up with OutKast
I wrote a long post about OutKast’s Friday night set, but Monae doing “Tightrope” was pretty darn awesome. Check out some photos from the set.

15. “Escape Velocity”
The floating astronaut art installation was another home run by Poetic Kinetics. We did a story on the large-scale art in today’s paper.

View a gazillion more galleries at

COACHELLA 2014: From party wings to a PB&J cookie

In case you missed it, we wrote a Coachella food roundup for the print edition today.

But there was only so much we could fit. On Saturday I tried out several festival food novelties — $12 “party wings” from one of the new, organic-type pop-up tents by Night + Market Song, plus a $3 peanut butter and jelly cookie from Fancy Boyz.

I tested a $7 iced chai tea latte from Stumptown Coffee Bar and sipped a $10 IPA from the new Craft Beer Barn (It’s no longer strictly Heineken for Coachella attendees). Tough work, I know, but someone has to do it.

PARTY WINGS

The folks at Hollywood-based Thai restaurant Night + Market Song say their party wings have been the biggest hit of the festival so far, so I gave them a go. They’re a nice little upscale take on the chicken wing. You get five of the slightly-spicy wings for $10, or 10 for $20.

An exhausted Chef Kris Yenbamroong came out and said hello when I poked my head in on Saturday and inquired about the food. The wings sit in a brine and fish sauce, he said. The wings themselves are coated with tempura flour, along with palm sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. Chives garnish the top.

I’d recommend giving them a try if you’re going to Coachella weekend two — or perhaps test out the cooler papaya salad, another popular item. Night + Market Song also just opened a second location in Silver Lake, in case you’re in the neighborhood.

PB&J COOKIE

This little $3 cookie from The Fancy Boyz bakery in Los Angeles has also been a popular Coachella purchase, employees said. The ingredient list is straighforward: organic peanut butter, sugar, flour, eggs, butter, milk, strawberries, salt and baking soda.

Even though I love a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I usually dislike goodies that attempt to mimic them. Yet the Fancy Boyz cookie does a nice job as primarily a peanut butter cookie (and who doesn’t like those?) with only a hint of the J.

They offer other offbeat cookie flavors you can try, too.

SPENDY EATS

Courtney Angeley, a six-time Coachella attendee from Huntington Beach, estimated the food in the new pop-up tent section only costs about $2 more per plate. I think she’s about right.

Even in the “normal” festival food section, you’re looking at $15 for a plate of chicken and waffles, $11 for a pulled pork sandwich, $12 for a little pepperoni pizza, $8 for a lamb gyro and $12 for a teriyaki plate.

If, as Angeley says, the food from a few of the higher-end joints inside The Terrace really does pack a little more health and flavor, you might as well spend the extra buck or two.

I’ll keep posting odds and ends from my first time at Coachella throughout this next week. Feel free to email me with questions, lramseth@pe.com, and follow me on Twitter, @lramseth.

COACHELLA 2014: Enjoying the pop-up sushi of Kazu Nori

We have been checking out the special high end food offerings and pop-up restaurants added to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Eatery: KAZU NORI
From: Los Angeles
Menu: Sushi in the desert sounds like a recipe for disaster, but this fish is high-quality. Items include 3 hand roll set ($15), halibut sashimi ($9), bay scallop hand roll, ($6) other various hand rolls and combinations ($6-$25)
Related to the famed Sugarfish sushi bars in Los Angeles, the fish is driven from Los Angeles at 6 a.m. to the Empire Polo Club daily, where skilled chefs make the sought-after hand rolls, in a pop-up sushi bar setting.
It’s one of the more exclusive venues at Coachella, because it’s only accessible to VIPs in the Rose Garden area. The bar gets jam-packed after sunset and there’s a line to get in and get some sushi.
Diners get a seat on a stool and a place set up that includes a small white pitcher of soy sauce and a tin to pour it into. Each roll is made fresh, just like sitting at a traditional sushi bar.
The hand roll has fresh, crisp seaweed on the outside and delicately flavored, sushi rice, that’s fluffy and not hard-packed and of course, the delicious fish.
There’s even a daily hand roll, which can change between toro and yellowtail. Saturday’s option was velvety fresh toro, ice cold and a fresh pop of flavor.
Kazu Nori is certainly high-end, but it is a better deal than dining in Los Angeles–the service charge is included and you don’t have to find a place to park.
–Vanessa Franko

COACHELLA 2014: Yes, you can buy a kale salad

You can buy a kale salad for $12 at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. (Luke Ramseth/Staff)

All of the usual festival food staples are here this weekend at Coachella: Burgers, fish tacos, pizza and gyros.

There are also kale salads, pastas and spiced chick pea dishes from Los Angeles-based restaurant Crossroads Kitchen.

Crossroads is just one of a slew of high-end pop-up restaurants added this year to The Terrace food section of the festival. Most of the new additions hail from the greater Los Angeles area, though Stripped Back is based in London and Salt & Straw Ice Cream calls Portland home. All of the new additions focus on using local and sustainable ingredients.

I was feeling brave, and went with the kale yesterday afternoon. It came on a little cardboard plate, included pine nuts, currants, a strong lemon basil vinaigrette — and it cost $12. At Crossroads, this was the cheapest thing on the menu.

It was tasty, though the powerful lemon vinaigrette became a tad overwhelming after awhile — a likely side effect of needing a dressing strong enough to drown out that bitter kale flavor.

My recommendation: Give the fancier pop-up tents like Crossroads a go, but don’t ditch the greasy festival staples altogether. The $8 lamb gyro I had last night was mighty tasty — and it was just a tad more filling than that little kale salad.

What should I should try today? Tweet at me, @lramseth, or shoot me an email, lramseth@pe.com.

REDLANDS: Hangar 24 celebrates barrel-aged beer at Pugafest

Hobo Jazz will perform at Hangar 24 Brewery in Redlands for Pugafest on Saturday, Dec. 7. (2013/File Photo)

Hangar 24 Brewery in Redlands is celebrating the release of this year’s batch of Pugachev’s Cobra, the brewery’s Russian imperial stout, with Pugachev’s Barrel-Aged Beer Festival on Saturday, Dec. 7.

The Pugafest event will include a number of special beers for the occasion. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and $25 gets you a wristband good for eight tasting pours from a selection of 24 different barrel-aged beers and a commemorative tasting glass.

Pugachev’s Cobra is one of the brewery’s most beloved concoctions and in previous years, bottles have sold out on release day. A hand-corked bottle will set you back $20 and quantities are limited to six per person.

There is also a new brew, Pugachev Royale, which is a spin on the original, but with added cacao nibs and vanilla beans and an additional 10 months of aging in brandy barrels. There will only be 400 bottles available and there is a one-bottle purchase limit.

[mappress mapid=”673″]

The barrel-aged beer list for Pugafest includes 2011 Pugachev’s Cobra, 2012 Pugachev’s Cobra, 2012 Pugachev’s Cobra Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Pugachev’s Cobra, 2013 Pugachev’s Cobra Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Pugachev’s Cobra Wheat Whiskey Barrel, 2010 Immelmann, 2012 Immelmann Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Immelmann, 2013 Immelmann Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Immelmann Wheat Whiskey Barrel, 2012 Hammerhead, 2013 Hammerhead, 2013 Hammerhead Brandy Barrel, 2012 Warmer Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Warmer Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Gourdgeous Bourbon Barrel, 2013 Gourdgeous/Hammerhead Bourbon Barrel Blend, 2012 4th Anniversary Rye Whiskey Barrel, 2013 Tailslide, 2013 Slow Roll, 2012 Chandelle, 2011 Humpty Bump and 2013 Vinaceous Brandy Barrel.

The Hangar 24 Tasting Room will be open to the public as per usual from 11 a.m. until midnight as well.

There will be live music from the Claremont Voodoo Society from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hobo Jazz from 2 to 4 p.m. and My Own Holiday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Both Hobo Jazz and My Own Holiday have stopped by and performed for PE Live. Watch their videos below.

Watch Hobo Jazz perform “One Glance.”

Watch My own Holiday perform “Coins.”

Hangar 24 is located at 1710 Sessums Drive in Redlands. Visit www.hangar24brewery.com for more information.

SAN BERNARDINO: Iron Maiden brings beer and music to Devore

TROOPER is the new ale from Iron Maiden and Robinsons Brewing. (Contributed Image)

When you think Iron Maiden just can’t get any more metal, the band goes and gets its own beer.

In my interview with Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain about the Battle of San Bernardino, one of the things that came up was the band’s beer, TROOPER Ale (all caps required on TROOPER, kind of like ABBA).

The name comes from the Maiden classic, “The Trooper.” Lead singer Bruce Dickinson helmed the craft ale on the Maiden front and worked with Robinsons Brewery.

“Although we’ve got our name and Bruce designed the beer with Robinsons Brewery, it’s a stand alone good drop,” McBrain said.

He stressed that the beer is a real ale, not a lager and that it’s brewed to be opened and enjoyed at room temperature rather than cold. McBrain said he even has a bottle or two after the show.

“Really,it’s a beautiful darker-tasting beer,” he said.

Rumor is that you just might be able to try it for yourself if you’re going to the Battle of San Bernardino at San Manuel Amphitheater in Devore on Friday, Sept. 13.

Here’s a video about Iron Maiden and the beer.

HEMET: Brewer Boys, Austin Law to play Chili Cook-Off

The Brewer Boys will perform at the Ramona Bowl in Hemet on Sept. 7. (2012/File Photo)

How many places can you enjoy both chili and the music of local reality television contestants?

Luckily you can enjoy the music of former “X Factor” contestants The Brewer Boys and Michael Austin, former contestant on “The Voice” and singer of Austin Law, at the Chili Cook-Off, Beer and Wine Festival at the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Inland radio station 101.3 The Mix is putting on the event.

If the kitchen is your performance area rather than the stage, you can enter the chili competition. There are four categories for the International Chili Society-sanctioned event: red chili, chili verde, salsa and People’s Choice. You can register at www.1013TheMix.com.

The event runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and some of the proceeds will benefit the Ramona Bowl. Advance tickets are $15 for general admission and $8 for guests ages 6 to 12. Kids 5 and younger get in for free. The passes go up to $20 at the door. You can get them online at the Ramona Bowl website.

The Brewer Boys have incredible harmonies and rootsy Americana sensibilities. Here’s a recent video of the Temecula brothers performing a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer.”

Austin Law puts on more than a mere concert–it’s an experience. Here’s lead singer Michael Austin on “The Voice.”

PALM SPRINGS: KC and the Sunshine Band get musical menu items

KC and the Sunshine Band will be honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame and with disco menu items at Ruby’s (Contributed Image)

Put this in the “I can’t make this stuff up” file”:

KC and the Sunshine Band will receive a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars on Saturday, July 6. (That’s not the strange part. Cheeta the Chimp from the Tarzan movies, who actually turned out not to be the real Cheeta, has one, as does his handler Dan Westfall. So does Chevy Chase. And Randy Sparks & The New Christy Minstrels.)

The disco gods will be honored with their star at a public ceremony in Palm Springs at 3 p.m. on Saturday at 144 S. Palm Canyon Drive, where everyone is likely to melt on the sidewalk in the 108-degree heat.

Then, KC and the Sunshine Band will perform at 8 p.m. in the Special Events Center at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio. That’s still not the strange part.

To honor KC and the Sunshine Band, the Ruby’s Diner location at 155 S. Palm Canyon Drive, will offer two limited-time items from Friday, July 5 through Sunday, July 7. (This is where it starts to get strange.)

What are the menu items, you ask? The “Boogie Burger” and the “Shake, Shake, Shake” Shake.

And since the star will be in front of See’s Candies, the candy shop is creating a special wrapper for their Butterscotch Chews.

What will the wrapper say? “Boogie Chews.” As in “my my my my my Boogie Shoes.”

Apparently the store will also highlight KC’s other favorite item, Sugar Free Peanut Brittle. Apparently there’s no good way to play on the words with that one. I guess “(Sugar Free’s) the Way I Like It” and “Get Brittle Tonight” didn’t have the right ring to it.

RIVERSIDE: The Salty Suites among artists at BrewGrass event

The Salty Suites are playing BrewGrass in Riverside on June 29. (Contributed Image)

The Packinghouse Brewery is holding the BrewGrass Craft Beer and Music Festival celebrating beers and bluegrass and Americana music on Saturday, June 29.

The Original BladeRunners, Shadow Mountain Band, The Tail Draggers and the Salty Suites will perform.

There will also be food trucks and nearly two dozen breweries at the event.

1 p.m.-6 p.m. BrewGrass Craft Beer and Music Festival, Packinghouse Brewery, 6421 Central Ave., Riverside, $35 in advance and $40 at the door, 21 and older only.

Visit www.pbbeer.com for more information.

Here’s a sample of The Salty Suites, who, by the way, have a fantastic name.