the bird on fire

Win Some; Lose Some

February 10, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Editor Erik assigned the Blog Staff to write about “Missed Opportunities.” Jake catalogues some of his “misses.”

By Jake Sonderman

Sometimes, you don’t realize you’ve missed something ‘til you’ve missed it. I try to take every opportunity that comes my way, but sometimes I let some slip. Here’s some opportunities that I let slip through the cracks.

Bret Michaels

This is the one that really stings. My band was playing Stagecoach (for like 30 people). A friend who somehow knew Bret Michaels (who was also playing at Stagecoach for like 20,000 people), somehow got him to invite us to play a song with him during his show. We were going to play “Nothing But a Good Time,” the finale. We were prepared, learned the song, went backstage, the whole thing. Something went wrong during the soundcheck, and they rescinded their offer. As consolation, he invited us up on stage with a bunch of other dudes. Still cool, but I frequently think what it would’ve been like to play for so many people.

High School Musical

I really wish this wasn’t the first show I auditioned for. It was likely the only one I had a chance of getting cast for. In case you didn’t know, Disney+ came out with a High School Musical show. I auditioned for Big Red, and I dropped the ball a bit. I got a call back and auditioned on the Disney lot. I dropped the ball by forgetting a line, and once you forget one, it all comes falling apart. I’ve done many auditions since, and if I perhaps had some experience I would have practiced better and been cast. Maybe not. Who knows.

Gamestop

This is an opportunity that many missed out on. I was, however, looking at Gamestop and Reddit a couple days before the insanity. I thought in my head, “People are talking about it, but why would people buy Gamestop stock when nobody buys physical games anymore?” I almost got in at $30 a share then $90 a share in a couple days. I missed out. But, hey, as Kyle says, “No one cares if you almost bought something.”

SAG

This is sort of double sided. I had a chance after I did an UberEats commercial to be a part of the Screen Actors Guild. It has a $3,000 initial fee and another $200 yearly fee, but it still would have been cool. I also would have had access to some very big auditions (but also would have had more competition). All in all, I don’t totally regret it, but it still would have been a cool thing to put on college apps.

Piano

I know that there was no way I would keep doing piano after 4th grade, but I sure wish I did. Piano is definitely something with a steep learning curve. I wish I had kept with it, not just to be a good piano player, but so I had at least some coordination. Now, with any instrument, my biggest challenge is always coordination. And, it goes without saying, being a good piano player is very charming.

These are some of my missed opportunities. We all have them. But, the past is in the past. Keep looking forward. (Need help looking forward? Check out Elizabeth’s post on “Regrets.”)

Missed Opportunities Editor: Erik Bearman

Invest or Starve

February 8, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Tasked with discussing the theme of “Missed Opportunity,” Blogger Evan decided to educate people about how to avoid missing money-making opportunities. Evan tells us how to invest better, without regrets.

By Evan Spry

In this day and age, there are only really two ways to make money. You can either earn an income by working, or you can invest in assets. In this article, I will make the case for the latter money-making method. Have you ever wondered what really goes on in the stock market, you know, the thing that supposedly measures the stability and success of our economy even though it only represents a minuscule group of elite corporations? Well, I think the simplicity of it all will actually surprise you. We’ve all been told that it is much too complicated for the average person to understand investing, and that only the minority of CEOs and hedge-fund managers could possibly benefit from the stock market. It used to be, you had to invest through a stockbroker, or go to the bank. Nowadays, the absolute best thing about investing in the stock market is that anyone can do it. And, there are just too many benefits in investing to ignore this money-making opportunity. Here are the top five reasons you must invest your money:

Beat Inflation: In our world, almost everything fluctuates over time. This fluctuation happens a lot in economics, and one of the best examples of this is the increase and decrease in the value of certain countries’ currencies. This fluctuation also increases inflation, like how in India, “100 rupees today would only be 96.5 rupees next year according to recent Indian inflation statistics, which implies that you would lose 4.5% of your money every year if kept as cash” (Businesstoday.in). This simply means that if you were to invest your money into something, instead of having it as cash, you would have saved money.
Retirement Corpus Creation: Investing as soon as possible is best because while doing so, you can set aside funds for retirement and create a retirement corpus.* This corpus will accumulate wealth over time, adding a safety net of savings for the future. Of course, in this case, time is almost more valuable than the money itself, so you should start this process as soon as possible.
Tax-Saving: Some possible investments can give you a double-return by “…providing returns as well as reducing your taxable income” (Businesstoday.in). This is saving money. And saving money is making money!
High Returns: Another reason I urge you to invest is the fact that investing helps you achieve higher returns than a bank’s saving account. The average interest rate today on savings accounts is .05% (smartasset.com). Some markets could even provide returns upwards of 20 percent, if everything goes perfectly. So, investing in the market will make you more money over time, but there are still the obvious risks involved.
Wealth Creation: The last reason investing is something you need to do is probably the simplest, plain old wealth creation. If you invest your money, it allows it to grow, which can offer big returns for it in the future. Allowing your money to compound positively is probably the best thing you can do, so invest!

*Retirement corpus is the fund you need to put aside as savings by the end of your work life to receive an adequate pension for your retired life (aegonlife.com).

**All investment strategies and investments involve risk of loss. Nothing contained in this website should be construed as investment advice. Any reference to an investment’s past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit.

https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/beginners-guide-for-wealth-creation-why-should-you-invest/story/278719.html

Missed Opportunities Editor: Erik Bearman

Say Goodbye to Regrets

February 8, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

This week, bloggers are discussing “Missed Opportunities.” Blogger Elizabeth moves beyond personal missed opportunity to how we can all move past regrets in life and embrace the positive.

By Elizabeth Shay

There are times in our lives when we look back to the past at missed opportunities. The predominant emotion that we feel when reflecting on missed opportunities is regret. It can be hard to recover and thrive after a missed opportunity, but sometimes they can be a blessing in disguise. Here are three tips to help you live your best life without regrets and grow from your experiences:

Acknowledge that regret is normal…

All emotions have a function for survival, including regret. Our brain uses regret to tell us to take another look at our choices. Regret stems from counterfactual thinking, or the human tendency to create possible alternatives to life events that have already occurred (Wikipedia), and the easier it is to envision different outcomes, the more likely we are to regret life opportunities (Psychology Today).

Identify the positives…

Sometimes things happen for a reason. Your missed opportunities could be a blessing in disguise, as cliched as that sounds. Instead of dwelling on what you may have missed out on, reframe your thinking into the positive. Brainstorm and consider things in your current life that you are grateful for that may not be a part of your life had you taken a different path. This will allow you to move forward (Inc).

Look to the future…

Rather than remaining bogged down with the weight of the past, search for the next opportunity awaiting you in the future. Recognize what is important to you and what your goals are, and now that you have experience and a clear vision, you will be able to capitalize on opportunities as they come. At the same time, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because you never know where those spontaneous decisions could lead. The road on the journey of life is not always clear; there is no map to reach our final destination. So why not experience all that you can along the way?

Sources Referenced:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201205/the-psychology-regret

https://www.inc.com/young-entrepreneur-council/change-your-mindset-stop-dwelling-on-past-mistakes-with-these-7-tips.html

View at Medium.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterfactual_thinking#:~:text=Counterfactual%20thinking%20is%20a%20concept,%22counter%20to%20the%20facts%22.

Missed Opportunity Editor: Erik Bearman

The Top 3 Biggest Business Fails of All Time

February 5, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Although we may all have our own personal missed opportunities, we can all learn from those of others, including businesses. If you ever start your own business, DON’T MAKE THESE MISTAKES!

By Sara Habibipour

My Space and Facebook

Nowadays, no one in the younger generation knows about MySpace. But, back in the day, it was Facebook’s major competitor, and even had an advantage over them, as Facebook was created after MySpace. To try and eliminate their competition, MySpace had the opportunity to buy out Facebook in 2004, but they ended up not following through. This missed opportunity turned out to be fatal. In 2005, NewsCorp bought MySpace for $580 million, and it was sold again in 2011 for a mere $35 million, leading to the death of MySpace (Love Money). If only MySpace had acquired the world’s most-used social media platform when they had the chance….

Mars and E.T.

In the 1980s, Steven Spielberg was looking for chocolate to feature in his upcoming movie E.T., so he approached Mars, the company that makes M&Ms. He asked if they wanted to be featured in his project. Mars declined the product placement offer, and Hershey’s Reese’s Pieces accepted the offer instead. Hershey’s agreed to spend $1 million for the promotion on the condition that the company could use E.T. in its own marketing. This was a huge success for Reese’s, which saw a 65% jump in profits two weeks after the movie premiered in 1982 (Elite Business Magazine).

Blockbuster and Netflix

In 2000, movie rental company, Blockbuster, was the king of home entertainment. But, then came Netflix, a struggling online mail order company in need of cash. Its CEO offered to sell for $50 million to companies such as Blockbuster, but they didn’t take the offer. Then, Netflix made a move that absolutely murdered Blockbuster; they got into streaming and people stopped renting DVDs. Today Netflix is valued at more than $213.9 billion (Love Money), and its stock has reached a record high (even higher than Disney!). Blockbuster Video is, well, dead.

Sources:

https://www.lovemoney.com/gallerylist/67869/the-biggest-missed-business-opportunities-ever

http://elitebusinessmagazine.co.uk/analysis/item/these-nine-missed-opportunities-cost-companies-billions-learn-from-their-mistakes

Missed Opportunities Editor: Erik Bearman

Don’t Be a Pest, Help the Planet with Mightynest!

February 5, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

To close out our theme on Up-and-Coming Businesses, Hannah chose to write about a new business that offers green alternatives to common products. She’s looking to our future.

By Hannah Hall

In this day and age, we order so many things from the internet. Monthly subscription services have exploded. For example, there’s IPSY (makeup and beauty), Blue Apron (home dinners), and MyBean (coffee). But, there is one up-and-coming subscription service that caught my eye recently: mightynest.

Mightynest subscriptions offer monthly subscription boxes that include a multitude of earth-friendly products—one per delivery. The company hopes the use of their service encourages you to “[make] changes that are better for you and the planet.” You may be thinking that shipping their products is counterintuitive to the whole green lifestyle they are encouraging, but they claim that their shipments are environmentally conscious and recyclable.

On this website you can actually order any green products you want! The mightynest website has seven main sections that sort all of the products they offer: kitchen, on the go, cleaning, body, wellness, kids, and pets. So I thought that I would pull some of my favorite items from the sections to share what could possibly come in your delivery box!

Stasher

A product to replace disposable plastic bags is the Stasher Assorted 6 Bag Set. It goes for $75.95 and the sizes it comes with are Half-Gallon, Stand-Up Mid, Sandwich and Snack, and two Pocket Stashes. They are dishwasher and freezer safe. I actually use these daily when packing my lunch, which is why they are on my list. They’re essential.

Bee’s Wrap

A product from the site that could replace plastic wrap is Bee’s Wrap, Assorted 3 Pack. The price is $18.99. Bee’s Wrap comes Small, Medium, and Large. With these natural bee’s wax wraps, you can wrap little items, like fruits and cheeses, or cover large items, like leftover lasagna tupperware. It’s all biodegradable.

Hair Care

As an alternative to plastic shampoo and conditioner products, you can use the Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Set, Moisturize by HiBar, which goes for $27.98. The shampoo and conditioner look like bars of soap. These bars are sulfate, paraben, phthalates, and silicone free, and safe for colored hair. All you gotta do is lather the bar in your hands or head, and wash. The reason I recommend this product is because it replaces two 16oz packages of shampoo and conditioner.

Hopefully these few products inspire you to check out mightynest, and join the journey of making your life less harmful to the Earth.

Up-and-Coming Businesses Editor: Jake Sonderman

The Next Tesla!

February 3, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

When prompted to write about up-and-coming businesses, Blogger Evan Spry took his focus global and chose to write about an up-and-coming Chinese electric vehicle company: NIO. Watch out Tesla.

By Evan Spry

Blue Sky Coming

One of the most recognizable names of our contemporary history is Elon Musk. Musk took the world by storm with his groundbreaking technological feats and his popular electric car brand, Tesla. But, what if I told you that Tesla will soon no longer be the only synonym that comes to mind when someone mentions high-quality electric cars? China, the largest automobile market in the world (according to statista.com), constantly is looking for new ways to improve the automobile industry within its borders. Unfortunately, China is also high on the list of most polluted countries in the world, which motivates Chinese manufactures, politicians, and entrepreneurs to find cleaner solutions to automobile emissions. One of these cleaner solutions lies in electric cars.

In November 2014, NIO, a Chinese car manufacturer was created. NIO was founded on the idea of turning the sky blue wherever they went. The company’s Chinese name, Weilai, literally means “Blue Sky Coming.” But, what are they actually doing? And, how do they differentiate themselves from Tesla? Well, since NIO is such a young company, they were able to start with the idea of moving quickly to autonomous vehicles, or self-driving cars. In fact, in 2016, NIO received an “Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit” from the California DMV and immediately began testing on public roads under the “Autonomous Vehicle Tester Program.”

Battery Swapping

Unlike Tesla, NIO has established a battery swapping station network that stretches over thousands of kilometers of Chinese expressways. This method is much more efficient because battery swapping only takes, on average, five minutes, while filling up your gas tank or recharging your battery takes much longer. Battery swapping has proven effective in China. Globalnewswire.com says, “As of August 2020, NIO has built 143 battery swap stations across 64 cities in China, and completed over 800,000 battery swaps for its customers.”

World Records

Sitting atop Purog Kangri glacier, the NIO ES8 broke a world record for successfully getting to and remaining at 5,715.28 feet above sea level while being in a temperature of -5 degrees Celsius. This would be the highest altitude ever achieved by an electric car. Purog glacier is the third largest glacier in the world, making this also the only time an electric car has ever been there. Unsurprisingly, this is not the only record NIO has broken. In the Nurburgring, a German motorsports complex that hosts events, the NIO EP9 only took 6 mins and 45 secs to run a track of 22 kilometers (13 miles). This was the new lap record and very important for electric automobile development.

Invest!

Not only is this car company blowing its competitors out of the water but its stock shares have also been going through the roof. In 2020, NIO’s stock rose over 1,190%, according to investorplace.com. Currently, each share of stock costs 59.99 USD, and it looks like it’s only going up. Yahoo!Finance surveyed 300 investors, and they concluded that NIO shares would rise to 100 USD by 2022.

In conclusion, NIO is an up-and-coming Chinese company that everybody should know about and keep their eye on. NIO’s ingenuity has caused it to become a big competitor of Tesla’s, and who knows what could happen if they really pick up in the West. Also, if you are an investor or interested in trading stocks, you might want to check out NIO as they are projected to increase their value a lot in the coming future.*

*All investment strategies and investments involve risk of loss. Nothing contained in this website should be construed as investment advice. Any reference to an investment’s past or potential performance is not, and should not be construed as, a recommendation or as a guarantee of any specific outcome or profit.–Editor Jake

Up-and-Coming Businesses Editor: Jake Sonderman

World record for speed

https://www.nio.com/news/nio-ep9-breaks-nurburgring-nordschleife-lap-record#:~:text=May%2012th%202017%20%E2%80%93%20Munich,vehicle%20with%20our%20NIO%20EP9.

Yahoo Finance https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nios-stock-reach-100-2022-220104889.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANTFmB6a8PTDuSApyNAxsNRzfRh-W9eS2R6XYk_DEUPDR_r1l9PPvaPWIdantO563s8pbl0OjRLvD5snwTHVXDEaYIwTvbesEvtkujilPb19A9nTFz0ObfPd3ahO7xx123if-o-Utyf7KP9JRELUNkdUi0oQxSZBVsXQ5MV2-dPH

World record for height

https://www.nio.com/news/nio-es8-sets-guinness-world-recordstm-title-height-571528-meters#:~:text=At%20the%20height%20of%205715.28%20meters%20and%20a%20temperature%20of,achieved%20in%20an%20electric%20car.&text=The%20slogan%20of%20NIO%20is,can%20realize%20our%20vision%20soon.

ODIN: a DIY Genetic-Engineering Business

February 1, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Erik has long been interested in genetic engineering. When asked about new businesses, Erik wrote about a company making genetic engineering available to the consumer market. And, he’s pretty excited about it. He’s actually a consumer of the product. Don’t ask what’s going on in his kitchen.

By Erik Bearman

The ODIN was founded by Dr. Josiah Zayner, who got his Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics at the University of Chicago. Dr. Zayner believes “the future is going to be dominated by genetic engineering and consumer genetic design will be a big part of that. We are making that happen by creating kits and tools that allow anyone to make unique and usable organisms at home or in a lab or anywhere” (https://www.the-odin.com/about-us/ ).

The ODIN website allows you to purchase DIY genetic engineering kits and ship them to your residence. Examples of kits you can order are DIY Bacterial Gene Engineering CRISPR Kit ($169.00), Genetic Design Starter Kit ($49.99), Glowing Jellyfish Bacteria ($29.99), and Frog Genetic Engineering Kit ($1,999.00). The kits come with all the equipment and supplies you need to perform your own at-home experiments. The ODIN even offers online classes to perform these experiments at your own pace. Among the online teachers is the esteemed Dr. George Church, Harvard Medical School’s Professor of Genetics.

The purpose of these experiments is to teach upcoming geneticists how to do basic modification that will be essential in their fields. It also gives average people (even those without a college education) a chance to do great work. For example, David Ishee, a Mississippi dog breeder, wants to use the ODIN’s kits to help him breed dogs quickly while also getting rid of genetic problems that are common in pure breeds.

Although this company is revolutionary, it is not the first time genetic engineering has been introduced into the business world. Look at your supermarket’s produce section for GMOs. And, in the timber industry, geneticists have created trees that produce premium wood at a faster rate: “the timber industry does not have to chop down so many virgin forests…[and] it has more top-quality wood” (https://marketbusinessnews.com/genetic-engineering-definition-meaning/).

The ODIN makes a substantial amount of money, but not many people outside the genetics or biohacking communities have heard of it. However, as genetic engineering slowly approaches the center of our future livelihoods, more people seeking to learn about biology might hear about these accessible DIY experiments. While controversies may abound regarding this work, Zayner’s work gives access of genetic engineering to the people while not limiting the power to big businesses.

Up-and-Coming Business Editor: Jake Sonderman

https://www.the-odin.com/about-us/

https://marketbusinessnews.com/genetic-engineering-definition-meaning/

Shark Tank Rising Stars

February 1, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Shark Tank businesses are everywhere: DoorBot, Bombas socks, Scrub Daddy, etc. These businesses invade our culture even when the “Sharks” don’t pick them for investment. So, when Editor Jake said, “Tell me about up-and-coming businesses,” Elizabeth thought immediately of the businesses that vie for investments on Shark Tank.

By Elizabeth Shay

Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed, multi-Emmy Award-winning show, has become a go-to for my family over quarantine. The show features a panel of investors called “sharks,” to whom entrepreneurs pitch their products or companies, hoping to secure an investment. Some of the most successful products that have appeared on Shark Tank include the Scrub Daddy sponge, Bombas socks (Investopedia), and the DoorBot–what became the Ring video doorbell! Fun fact, the sharks actually rejected the DoorBot, which was sold to Amazon for $1.1 billion in 2018 (Mental Floss).

Here are three companies and products that have recently been pitched on Shark Tank.

The Chirp Wheel

Founded by Tate Stock when he was pursuing his degree in economics at Brigham Young University, the Chirp Wheel helps relieve back pain without doctors, drugs, or surgery. It stretches, strengthens and releases tension in the muscles surrounding the spine. By relaxing muscles throughout the body, the wheel helps with headaches and neck pain (All Shark Tank Products). Shark Lori Greiner invested $900,000 to be paid back over the course of 18 months, for a 2% stake in the company (Meaww).

SparkCharge

While electric cars are increasing in popularity, what’s stopping many people from converting is something known as “range anxiety.” Charging stations for electric vehicles have become more common, yet they are still few and far between, especially in rural or less populated areas. That’s where SparkCharge comes in. The SparkCharge is a compact, portable electric car charger. This charging rate is actually eight times faster than the standard wireless charging stations. As of right now, SparkCharges are only being sold to roadside assistance providers, but the company hopes to introduce a product for consumer purchase in the near future (All Shark Tank Products). SparkCharge secured a whopping $1,000,000 in funding from Marc Cuban and Lori Greiner, for a 10% stake in the company (split 50-50 between them). The deal also included 2% advisory shares for Cuban and Greiner, and a seat on the company board (Buffalo News).

GarmaGuard

GarmaGuard is a garment and fabric cleanser that eliminates odor molecules. There are other air and fabric fresheners on the market, but these trap odor molecules, temporarily masking them. Such products usually include harsh chemicals that can be irritating or even toxic. GarmaGuard is vegan, cruelty free, biodegradable, and contains no abrasive chemicals (All Shark Tank Products). This product also was tested and proven to kill the COVID-19 virus, but was awaiting official certification. Shockingly, no sharks invested in the company, but I believe that GarmaGuard will be successful and benefit from the publicity that comes from being featured on a popular show.

If you have a product in need of investors–Dog-Poop Cone? Pimple-Popping Toy? Drum Pants?–consider marketing it to Shark Tank.

Sources Referenced:

https://abc.com/shows/shark-tank/about-the-show

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/082415/10-most-successful-products-shark-tank.asp

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/546955/shark-tank-most-successful-products

https://allsharktankproducts.com/sharktankproducts/season-12-products/

https://meaww.com/shark-tank-chirp-wheel-publicity-daymond-john-lori-greiner-douchebag-deal-money-abc-show-hulu-pitch

https://buffalonews.com/news/local/sparkcharge-secures-1-million-from-shark-tank-investors/article_67e1685e-120f-11eb-b677-3fb4adab1d29.html

Up-and-Coming Businesses Editor: Jake Sonderman

The Coolest Small-Business Restaurants in Palm Springs

January 29, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org 1 Comment

Within the past few years, Palm Springs has become a small business hotspot, especially for new restaurants. In response to Editor Jake’s prompt, Blogger Sara decided to share, in her opinion, the coolest small business restaurants in her hometown of Palm Springs.

By Sara Habibipour

Kreem Ice Cream + Coffee

170 E Palm Canyon Dr #8822, Palm Springs, CA

If I was given the choice on where to go out for ice cream, my number one choice would be Kreem, a small, in-house creamery a few minutes away from the Ace Hotel. What I like about their ice cream is that it’s refreshing and that they offer vegan coconut-milk based options as well. They rotate their flavors, but some of them include lemon meringue pie, rosemary, ube, and turmeric-ginger. They also serve coffee and soda floats! I think this unique variety of flavors and options–that you can’t get at Ben and Jerry’s or Cold Stone–is what makes Kreem a stand-out destination.

Gabino’s Creperie

170 E Palm Canyon Dr #4, Palm Springs, CA 92264

I’ve never been to Gabino’s Creperie, but it seems to be such an interesting place! It’s a small, family-owned business that serves savory crepes. For example, Chicken Pesto Crepes and BBQ Chicken crepes. It also appears to be next to Kreem, so, hey, get a crepe and go get some ice cream one day. This business seems to appeal to the innovative and aesthetic foods that the younger generation is so interested in nowadays, so I see them becoming more and more popular in the valley.

Aspen Mills

555 S Sunrise Way # 101, Palm Springs, CA 92264

I. LOVE. ASPEN. MILLS.

If you’re ever craving a sandwich, go to this place! All the sandwiches are delicious. If you like tuna go for the Newporter! They also have a bakery, so you can buy fresh bread and baked goods. In addition to being hit by COVID, they actually suffered from a fire and had to renovate their kitchen and restaurant. So, if you’re looking to go support a local business, head to Aspen Mills! All of the Palm Springs locals love it. And, the staff is so kind!

Nature’s Cafe

555 S Sunrise Way UNIT 301, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Are you vegan or vegetarian (or maybe not and you still like that kind of food)? If so, you have to visit Nature’s Cafe. It’s an exclusively vegetarian/vegan cafe and juice bar that serves just about anything you could desire. Veggie burgers, stir fry, protein shakes, blue algae juices…they have it all! I’ve been going there for the past few years, and every time I go there seems to be more and more people! It’s definitely a booming business in Palm Springs that’s worth checking out! It’s also in a vegetarian/vegan health store, so you can pick up groceries while you wait for your food!

Great Shakes

160 S Palm Canyon Dr A, Palm Springs, CA 92262

Last but certainly not least…

Great Shakes.

Pure awesomeness (if you have a sweet tooth, that is).

Located in Downtown Palm Springs, this business has been growing greatly within the past couple years, especially during the summer heat when tourists and locals look for a refresher. They even have tiny signature donuts around the straws!

Up-and-Coming Businesses Editor: Jake Sonderman

I Love Pappy and Harriet’s

January 27, 2021 by szachik@pvs.org Leave a Comment

Blogger Jake recounted what it’s like to play on stage at Pappy and Harriet’s. Evan tells us what it’s like to partake as audience and eater. (Hint: Order the bacon-cheese fries.)

By Evan Spry

With our heinous vaccine rollout and everything, it’s seemingly pointless to imagine yourself partying at a social event in the near-future. Still, I think we should all have a checklist in our minds of what to do post-COVID. That time is coming. This checklist provides optimism for the future and stakes a belief in the fact that COVID will go away soon.

I don’t know about you, but I definitely noticed pretty off-the-bat how much I took live music for granted. It’s been so long since I’ve been to a concert (thanks to COVID) that I don’t even remember what it’s like. As I yearn to go back to the live music experience, I can’t help but remember my favorite venue, Pappy and Harriet’s. Pappy and Harriet’s is a big restaurant/bar/music venue. It is located in Pioneer Town, near Joshua Tree where the weather is usually great with the occasional slight snowfall in the winter, which only makes the area more beautiful.

I have been to Pappy and Harriet’s probably five times and never have I had a bad experience. Personally, I think the best music to listen to at Pappy’s is folk-rock/jam band. My mom’s favorite band, The Mother Hips, is one of these, and I’ve seen them there a couple times. At these shows, the audience is so into the music and there aren’t nearly as many L.A. hipsters that block your view with their fedoras.

Unfortunately, when there is a band playing at Pappy’s, it most likely means that it’s going to be packed. If this is the case, do not plan on eating dinner there. Sometimes, it’s so crowded they just close the restaurant completely. However, even though you may not always be able to enjoy a big meal while listening to a live band, the food is amazing. They are a typical American restaurant that serves red meat, burgers, and salads. But my favorite item on their menu is the bacon-cheese fries. These fries are to die for and definitely hit the spot.

In conclusion, I encourage you to think up the first place you want to go party. Think about a festival, and picture yourself there. If you do this, the positive energy from that will manifest in reality and secure your future festivities. So, in the meantime in your quarantine, don’t party with anyone and do stay home; just think about partying in the future, when it’s safe.

Festivities (in a post-Coronavirus time) Editor: Hannah Hall