According to the band’s drummer Joe Miller, Dead Rose Pilgrims is what happens when musical worlds collide. “I’ve played a lot of jazz music, bebop, and did some college jazz stuff. I also had some experimental jazz groups I played with, and played some hip-hop,” he says. “ Sam ’s done more folk, singer-songwriter and rock...

One insomniac’s quest for the perfect sleep aid It was a multiple-night bout of insomnia, and the zombie-like state of ineptitude that followed each of them, that prompted my recent quest for sleep-inducing remedies. As it turns out, I’m far from alone in my deficiency of the sweet, elusive vitamin S, with its restorative and immune-system-balancing...

Human nature is tested by circumstance in the intriguing ‘Force Majeure’ The French title of the Swedish film Force Majeure literally means “superior force,” as in a force of nature, or what we might call an act of God. It generally refers to an unexpected circumstance completely beyond human control, most often a natural disaster like...

Looking back at Restaurant Week with Gabriella Cafe, plus autumn lunch at Avanti and more It’s always a pleasure to spend an autumn lunchtime in the inviting dining room at Gabriella Cafe, where three of us held an Art Research Office business and pleasure meeting on the final day of Santa Cruz Restaurant Week, which owner...

Former Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee was always a competitor, says Patti Boe, a friend of more than 20 years. Whether it was a board game, a sports matchup, a court case, or the late attorney’s bout with cancer, which he fought privately for years, Lee never gave up.   “Oh gosh, he was...

How Jewel Theatre’s new production ‘Enter the Guardsman’ pulls back the curtain There are a lot of things to think about when you’re running the only professional, year-round theater company in Santa Cruz. Especially at night, when you can’t sleep. Questions about your responsibility to your audience, whether you’re offering the best mix of material you...

Sam Hernandez has literally thrown himself into the art that makes up his retrospective exhibit at Cabrillo Gallery Sam Hernandez has peed on his work. Apparently, it’s not an uncommon practice in certain artistic circles, and for Hernandez, perfecting the patina—the varnish or surface wear on an object—of his sculptures is absolutely critical. The Santa Cruz-based...

Ever wondered where Santa Cruz’s Midtown really is? Are you wondering if Santa Cruz’s Midtown district has an easygoing café with good quality food and a chill back patio? Indeed, the Midtown Café, which opened in January, fits that exact description. Did you even know Santa Cruz has a Midtown? Read on, as owner Zac Creager...

After a decade, Drew Holcomb and his band the Neighbors are finding their biggest success One of the main reasons Drew Holcomb believes he’s been able to carve out a solid career for himself is that he never imagined he would. “When I first started doing the artist, touring, writing and recording thing, I was 21...

Public Works wants more money for local roads Without the lifeblood of adequate funding for Santa Cruz County’s streets and roadways, county officials say the veins and arteries of auto traffic will continue to crack, crumble, and decay into a state of disrepair—especially in residential and rural neighborhoods. Local roadways have improved some in the past...