Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 18, 2015

11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 18, 2015 

Jeff’s Book Picks By Jeff Brown

SEAN’S SHAMELESS REVIEWS: 

THREE MUST HEAR ALBUMS RELEASED THIS MONTH 


DIGGING 
FOR 
RICHARD III: 
THE SEARCH 
FOR THE 
LOST KING 
by Mike 
Pitts 


The story 
of the 
archaeology 
behind the 
dig that found 
Richard III, 
told through 
a fascinating 
array of 
photographs, 
diagrams, 
and firsthand 
accounts.In August 2012 a search began and on 
February 4, 2013 a team from Leicester University 
delivered its verdict to a mesmerized press room, 
watched by media studios around the world: they 
had found the remains of Richard III, whose 
history is perhaps the most contested of all 
British monarchs.History offers a narrow range of 
information about Richard III which mostly has 
already been worked to destruction. Archaeology 
creates new data, new stories, with a different kind 
of material: physical remains from which modern 
science can wrest a surprising amount, and which 
provide a direct, tangible connection with the past. 
Unlike history, archaeological research demands 
that teams of people with varied backgrounds 
work together. Archaeology is a communal 
activity, in which the interaction of personalities 
as well as professional skills can change the 
course of research. Photographs from the author’s 
own archives, alongside additional material 
from Leicester University, offer a compelling 
detective story as the evidence is uncovered. 
41 iillustrations in color and black-and-white.
THE RESIDENCE: INSIDE THE PRIVATE 
WORLD OF THE WHITE HOUSE 

by Kate Andersen Brower


A remarkable history with elements of both In 
the President’s Secret Service and The Butler, 
The Residence offers an intimate account of 
the service staff of the White House, from 
the Kennedys to the Obamas.America’s First 
Families are unknowable in many ways. No 
one has insight into their true character like the 
people who serve their meals and make their 
beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns 
dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The 
Residence reveals daily life in the White House as 
it is really lived through the voices of the maids, 
butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and 
others who tend to the needs of the President 
and First Family.These dedicated professionals 
maintain the six-floor mansion’s 132 rooms, 
35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, three elevators, 
and eight staircases, and prepare everything 
from hors d’oeuvres for intimate gatherings to 
meals served at elaborate state dinners. Over the 
course of the day, they gather in the lower level’s 
basement kitchen to share stories, trade secrets, 
forge lifelong friendships, and sometimes even 
fall in love.Combining incredible first-person 
anecdotes from extensive interviews with scores 
of White House staff members—many speaking 
for the first time—with archival research, Kate 
Andersen Brower tells their story. She reveals the 
intimacy between the First Family and the people 
who serve them, as well as tension that has shaken 
the staff over the decades. From the housekeeper 
and engineer who fell in love while serving 
President Reagan to Jackie Kennedy’s private 
moment of grief with a beloved staffer after her 
husband’s assassination to the tumultuous days 
surrounding President Nixon’s resignation and 
President Clinton’s impeachment battle, The 
Residence is full of surprising and moving details 
that illuminate day-to-day life at the White 
House.


By Sean Kayden

Gang of Youths – “The 
Positions” – April 17th, 
2015 - Australian rock 
act Gang of Youths have 
always been something of 
enigma. They’ve released 
several singles over the 
past few years, but not much was known about them 
the band itself. They’ve always intrigued me with their 
brooding sense of style. The anthem-driven melodies 
are unequivocally enthralling. After refining their 
technique these previous couple years, the quintet has 
lastly accumulated enough tunes for a debut album. 
The Positions consists of ten profoundly harrowing 
tracks that are vehemently cathartic. Lead singer 
David Le’aupepes’ initially imagined this endeavor as 
a solo effort chronicling his strained relationship with 
a woman fighting terminal cancer. His perception, 
as grand as it was, turned into a complete band with 
a dynamic intensity that is essentially unmatched. 
The Positions pushes emotional indie rock to new 
peaks. Gang of Youths’ debut is exceptional and easily 
distinguishes itself from the crowd. It covers many 
topics, from the vigilant tales of grief and sorrow 
to the search of faith and contentment. Generally 
sprawling and blatantly intimate, The Positions is filled 
with six plus minute tracks. This is no conventional 
rock album from a not-so conventional rock band. 
It’s entirely palpable these guys are playing on a 
completely different level than their peers. For an 
album so deep in thought, so utterly pensive, you’ll 
find yourself ready to take on anything in your way 
after listening to “The Positions” from start to finish. 
Lord Huron – “Strange Trails” – April 7th, 2015 
– In 2012, LA quintet Lord Huron released their first 
record “Lonesome Dreams”—an immensely grand and 
poignant piece of music that resonated along the borders 
of Fleet Foxes. As the record caught on like wildfire, 
unexpectedly Lord Huron was making a substantial 
impression in indie folk-rock. With a lot riding on 
the follow-up, it’s safe to report that Ben Schneider 
and his band have returned in pristine form. Strange 
Trails touches upon a peaceful quality with a “western” 
ambiance rooted in the fourteen new tracks. There is this 
sense of a railroad train chugging along in the old west 
and there is Lord Huron making music on one of the 
freight cars. That image comes to mind when listening 
to this sophomore release. Like an aged painting, worn 
in impression, surrounded with framework of emphatic 
fanciful lyrics and sound quality. The vast soundscape 
of Strange Trails is tough to disregard as the band have 
extended past their bold debut with a lusher, gutsier, 
and much more impressive effort. In conclusion, the 
subsequent album from Lord Huron stirs up various 
feelings from its harrowing sounds, deep storytelling 
lyrics, and this floating layer above that with ambiguity 
in life ultimately comes a time for hope. Despite the 
perpetual leeriness that is deep-seated within the record, 
sanguinity is there to peak its head out letting the listener 
know it’s still there for the taking. 


Priory – “Need To Know” – April 7th, 2015 - 
Portland based act Priory gained an overpowering 
awareness on the Internet when they released the single 
“Weekend” last fall. It surely placed long-standing 
buddies Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears on the map in 
spite of previously releasing their first record in 2011 on 
an indie label. The transformation of musical style into 
the realm of dance-pop/electro-rock allowed for the duo 
to obtain much responsiveness from larger labels. With 
the sophomore album and making their Warner Bros. 
Records debut, Priory are growing beyond their 4-song 
EP from last fall with Need To Know. It is a 10-song 
collection of revitalizing electronic pop songs in time 
for summer. It’s altogether delightful from start to end, 
providing the listener with much excitement to be had. 
Furthermore, there’s an overabundance of danceable 
rhythms to enjoy to in the relatively short (thirty-five 
minutes) endeavor. Nevertheless, this idea of surviving 
is involved in the record. On “Need To Know” an 
energetic zest is in existent as Priory tries to clench onto 
adolescence. As many of us are aware, this phase of life 
quickly fades before one actually recognizes it’s gone. 
The inherent likability the songs possess is conclusively 
notable. Priory’s high-energy manner is somewhat to 
be well regarded as they effectively attempt to go past 
the customary sounds of indie-pop. 

FOOD & DRINK

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett

SEVEN DAUGHTERS WINE FOR NOW

There are certainly advantages to drinking wine with the “closure” being a screw top. No bottle 
openers, no cork residue plus screwtops don’t contaminate the wine like some corks tend to do. In 
fact 75 % of the wine in Australia now has a screw top. Recently as last week I was at a wine and 
cheese party and was making fun of the “Screw top” wines that my friends buy. The conversation 
turned to “Have you ever had the Seven Daughters Cabernet”? why no I hadn’t, I quickly checked 
my own wine snobbiness and decided that I would give it a try.

 

Named after the seven grapes that the winery uses to produce a host of varieties of wine. 

Sorry there weren’t seven daughters to be found for this story. 

I enjoyed a glass of the Cabernet with a recent home dinner and I can agree with my recent host that 
screw tops have come a long way. To this end, I suggest allowing it to breathe for a little while when 
consuming straight out of the bottle. The tannins were soft, the color was a dreamy ruby red and the 
taste was right up there with any of the $20 California Cabernets that I have written about in the last 
year. Screaming Eagle or Stag’s Leap? No it’s A picnic wine for sure! For $10 you can’t go wrong with 
this well-balanced Cabernet from the Monterey area of the Central Coast. Consider pairing it with 
glazed spare ribs, pizza or even a rotisserie chicken. Seven Daughters also produces a pinot nior and 
a chardonnay in the same price range.

Dills Score


Each week I will give you my Dills Score. 
Starting with a base of 50 points, I have 
added 8 points for color, 8 points for 
aroma or “nose”, 8 points for taste, 8 
points for finish, and 8 points for my 
overall impression, which includes my 
value rating.

Total Score 88

Listen to Dining with Dills this Sunday 
at 6 PM on KLAA AM 830 and watch 
the TV version Saturday and Sundays at 
7 PM on Charter Channel 188 . Join me 
this Wednesday at 6 PM for the Taste of South Pasadena . 

Many of your favorite restaurants on Fair Oaks.


TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com


DEBUNKING 4 COMMON MYTHS ABOUT GIFT TAXES

April 15 is upon us! It is not only the deadline for 
filing your state and federal income tax returns, 
but also the deadline for filing gift tax returns via 
IRS Form 709.

 Many people are confused about the subject of 
gift taxes. While only two states -- Connecticut 
and Minnesota -- have a state gift tax, there is 
a federal gift tax you may need to be concerned 
about. Here are some common myths and the 
actual truths about gift taxes:

 

Myth 1: The recipient must pay taxes on gifts.

Reality: While the gift giver may face taxes on 
certain gifts, the recipient usually doesn’t. There 
are some circumstances, however, when that will 
not be the case. For example, if you receive a bonus 
from an employer or tips, these may be subject to 
income tax. If you are gifted property that has 
appreciated in value since the giver bought it, you 
receive the cost basis as part of that gift. But if you 
sell the property, you will be liable for taxes on the 
difference between the sale price and the cost basis 
(what the giver paid for it).

 

Myth 2: A giver must pay tax on gifts of over 
$10,000 per year.

Reality: The annual gift tax exclusion rate is 
currently $14,000 (it increases periodically), and 
you can give gifts of that amount to an unlimited 
number of individuals each year without having 
to pay gift tax. If you give to a charity or your 
spouse, you can give an unlimited amount without 
incurring taxes. The lifetime gift tax exemption for 
2015 is $5.43 million per person and your annual 
gifts (so long as they are under $14,000 per person) 
don’t count towards that number.

 Myth 3: Gift taxes can be avoided by loaning 
money at no interest and forgiving the loan.

Reality: The IRS requires that you treat a loan like 
a loan, not a gift. You will have to charge a fair 
market interest rate and put the terms of the loan 
in writing.

 

Myth 4: You can always deduct charitable 
contributions from your taxable income.

 Reality: Charitable contributions must be made 
to a qualified tax-exempt charity, and must be 
itemized. You can check the status of your charity 
on the IRS website with its Exempt Organizations 
Select Check Tool. 

 If you have questions about gifting strategies or 
anything else related to protecting and providing 
for your family, please let us know. We’re here to 
help.

 To your family’s health, wealth, and happiness,

 

A local attorney, father, and CASA volunteer (Court 
Appointed Special Advocate for Children), Marc 
Garlett is on a mission to help parents protect what 
they love most. His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin 
Ave., Ste. G, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an 
appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring a 
legacy of love and financial security for your family 
by calling 626.355.4000 or visit www.GarlettLaw.
com for more information.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com