Ed Penniman’s ‘Santa Cruz Sweet Spots’ exhibit highlights his love of his native city Few Santa Cruz artists can claim the deep local pedigree of Ed Penniman. His grandmother, Leonora Naylor Penniman, was a member of the famed “Santa Cruz Three”—which also included Margaret Rogers and Cor de Gavere—a legendary trio of plein air artists whose...

Plans for an educational adventure park in Felton are awaiting approval, but not everyone is thrilled For two years, Mount Hermon developers have had a vision for a new kind of adventure park in Felton—a $4 million project that includes a “magic carpet” to transport mountain bikers to the top of a hill, two lush green...

The RTC’s feasibility study maps out seven scenarios for county-wide passenger rail, but is there light at the end of the tunnel? Crammed between a house-sized pickup truck, a teen blasting Taylor Swift, and a produce truck spewing noxious fumes, driving Highway 1 can turn even the most level-headed commuter into a road-raging Hulk. But with...

Vetiver’s Andy Cabic balances melancholy themes with upbeat sounds At first blush, Andy Cabic writes upbeat pop songs. But give them a few more spins and you’ll start to hear darker themes hidden in those feel-good songs. The man behind Vetiver, a pop-folk band with electronic inclinations, Cabic brings both light and dark emotions and imagery...

One of the latest health products on the market, bone broth is considered by its proponents to be almost magical.   Bones, water and vegetables are simmered for 24 hours or more, extracting all the nutrients from the bones. Kitchen Witch Bone Broth began selling their bone broth products in Santa Cruz late last year. The...

Aging woman carries the show in ‘See You in My Dreams’ It’s always a refreshing change to see an entire movie built around a female character. Especially if that character is a woman of a certain age. (And especially a woman played by somebody other than Helen Mirren or Meryl Streep, as fabulous as both of...

Award-winning absinthe cocktail at Hoffman’s, plus Enfold Wines and a conserve from Frog Hollow Farms I was obviously the last to know that Hoffman’s Downtown, which I had always associated with memorable pastries and exceptional breakfasts, now showcases a full bar, plus live jazz six nights a week. Well, an email from owner Adam Hoffman set...

Santa Cruz author Sara Solovitch on overcoming stage fright in ‘Playing Scared’ Does the thought of giving a speech make you nauseous? Do you tend to miss shots in clutch time? Welcome to the agonizing world of performance anxiety. It plays out everywhere we feel the eyes (or judgment) of others upon us. Journalist and classical...

As they prep the 20th anniversary edition of their punk history ‘Please Kill Me,’ Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain look back at how the groundbreaking oral history changed not just the publishing industry, but also the way we tell stories In much the same way that punk was a musical revolution, the definitive book about punk...

Jewel Theatre Company closes season with bittersweet comedy ‘Woman in Mind’ Santa Cruz’s Jewel Theatre Company is the little company that could. Artistic Director Julie James works miracles with limited resources, mounting ambitious professional theater in tiny local spaces like Center Stage, where JTC has been the resident company for the last five years. James’ eagerness...