$100 to Gabriella Café

Giveaways

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March 21, 2025

Enter for a chance to win a $100 Gift Certificate to Gabriella Café in Santa Cruz.

Gabriella Café is a 50 seat, picturesque and romantic dining experience in downtown Santa Cruz. Gabriella’s continues to cultivate, and put the restaurant at the front of the organic sustainable movement and now, nearly all of the produce used in the restaurant is purchased directly from local farmers. Gabriella Cafe features a new local artist every eight weeks.

Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit.
Must be 18+ to win.

County Supes OK Cannabis Lounges in Unincorporated Areas

Todd Guild

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March 19, 2025

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County Supes OK Cannabis Lounges in Unincorporated Areas

County cannabis lovers will be able to sit and smoke together at dispensaries, the way beer drinkers hang in bars.

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a plan that will allow people to smoke pot at local cannabis dispensaries.

The new ordinance will allow onsite consumption of marijuana products at dispensaries in the unincorporated parts of the county.

Advocates say the new rule will give out-of-town visitors the only legal place to consume the products they purchase.

The change to the existing ordinance passed 3-2, with Supervisors Monica Martinez and Kim De Serpa casting dissenting votes.

It will return for a final read and adoption on March 25.

Santa Cruz County Cannabis Licensing Manager Sam Laforti said the new ordinance will likely draw visitors to the county, with an opportunity to tap into the state’s $17.1 billion cannabis tourism industry.

While the decision applies only to 11 dispensaries in the unincorporated areas—and not in the cities of Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Capitola or Scotts Valley—the discussion nevertheless drew praise from advocates saying the lounges would allow a safe and legal place to use THC-infused products, and criticism from others worrying they would normalize marijuana use for young people, and could increase the numbers of stoned drivers on the roadways.

“Our primary responsibility is to ensure that our school environments are safe, healthy and supportive of all students,” said Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah, reading a letter signed by all the county’s school superintendents. “And the proposed introduction of cannabis lounges directly conflicts with these objectives, posing substantial risks to youth.”

SVPD Capt. Scott Garner said that it’s difficult to detect THC intoxication in drivers, making it tricky to get them off the road.

“Adding marijuana lounges increases the likelihood of impaired driving in these areas, particularly connected to Highway 17,” he said.

Supervisor Monica Martinez said that it was notable that every school district superintendent in the county was in opposition to the proposal, and said that she was concerned about people driving to and from dispensary lounges on windy mountain roads.

“My main priority today is about the safety of the thousands of families and people who drive throughout this county every single day,” she said.

But Supervisor Manu Koenig disagreed, saying that the lounges will create a “viable, legal framework” for the cannabis market. He also pointed out that tourists who visit dispensaries have no legal place to smoke the products they purchase, and likely do so at beaches and parking lots.

“I find this idea that all of a sudden there is going to be all these high people driving around that there haven’t been before sort of laughable,” he said. “There is no legal place for tourists to consume cannabis in our community.”

Jeff Nordahl, president of Jade Nectar, said the lounges will offer an opportunity for people to get together to share in an activity, much like a bar.

“There are a lot of cannabis enthusiasts, and I think making it more of a social, communal, non-stigmatized activity where we have a safe place is going to be a good thing where a lot of people can benefit,” he said.

The ordinance requires the dispensaries to prevent the scent of marijuana from leaving the business, and to keep their employees from areas where the products are being consumed.

Board Chair Justin Cummings said that the sky-is-falling predictions from the 2016 legalization of recreational cannabis have not manifested.

He said that any minor can walk into a convenience store and see alcohol readily available on the shelves. The same is not true for marijuana dispensaries, he said.

“To get into a dispensary you have to go through such a line of defense,” he said. “It is extremely difficult for kids to even get inside a dispensary and get access to these kinds of products.

The retailers that exist here are extremely responsible and they take their businesses and commitments to ensuring safety very seriously.”

Supervisor Kim De Serpa said her no vote came from her concerns for public safety.

“My main concern here is people on the road that are under the influence,” she said. “To have people going into a lounge, getting high and trying to get out onto Soquel Drive is not a good idea.”

Even with the ordinance, residents will have to wait a while for smoking lounges to open.

Dispensaries will have to create a separate space and separate HVAC system, deal with the Planning Department and amend their license and safety plan, which includes getting signed off from the Sheriff’s office, said county spokesman Jason Hoppin.

Tiny Village Moves Ahead at Church in Watsonville

Todd Guild

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March 19, 2025

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Tiny Village Moves Ahead at Church in Watsonville

A tiny home development for 34 homeless people slated for the parking lot of Westview Presbyterian Church in Watsonville can move forward after the City Council on March 11 denied an appeal by a neighbors’ group that has been battling the placement of the project since its inception in October 2023.

The development is officially called Recurso de Fuerza Village and nicknamed the Tiny Village.

The so-called low-barrier navigation center—defined as a temporary shelter focused on providing services and getting people into permanent housing—has drawn alarm from residents in the dense neighborhood who say it’s the wrong place for such a use.

State law allows for expedited review of such projects, and prohibits local governments from requiring conditional use permits and discretionary approval.

As such, the council was limited in its deliberations to whether the zoning administrator erred when it approved the project.

The issue began in 2023, when Monterey County received a $7.9 million Encampment Resolution Funding Grant to build the Recurso de Fuerza Village, which officials from both Santa Cruz and Monterey counties see as a way to reduce the numbers of unhoused people, and to clear encampments along the levees in advance of a major restoration project.

The project was approved in 2024. The Watsonville Zoning Administrator determined the project met applicable zoning standards, a largely ministerial decision that determined only whether it checked all the legal boxes.

The neighbors appealed that decision in October, which was denied the following month on Dec. 3. The group appealed again two weeks later, leading to the March 11 discussion.

Several people addressed the board during the three-hour discussion, many of them in favor of the project.

Officials in both the City of Watsonville and Santa Cruz County have long said that they were blindsided by the placement at the church, whose property is bordered by neighborhoods.

Councilwoman Ari Parker stressed that the city is not against helping the homeless. Instead, the pushback comes from the process that circumnavigated the city’s discretionary approval.

“I am just really upset, and I can’t let that go on the one side of my job to say that this was so poorly done,” she said.

Parker also questioned whether Community Action Board—the nonprofit chosen to manage the Tiny Village despite having no experience taking on such a role—could do the job.

“We feel like the part where we are part of the process in our own city was taken away from us,” she said.

Advocates say the development will be bordered by fences, including security and a set of rules designed to keep both residents and neighbors safe.

But those promises are cold comfort to Catalina Torres, who says that the people who live on the levee have threatened residents, who contend with burglary, drug dealing and trash including syringe waste.

Torres leads the neighbors’ group, which filed the appeals.

“All children’s parks are not safe either, filled with discarded needles, and residents having been chased by people carrying sticks and machetes,” she said. “I am one of them.”

Torres said she and her fellow neighbors agree the homeless population needs help. But the site is in the wrong location, she said.

“We have never opposed this project,” she said. “Our concern is solely about the location. You plan to place a low-barrier shelter in downtown Watsonville. It’s troubling. It feels like you’re creating a conveyor belt of troubles for us.”

Marta Buliach, also part of the neighbors’ group, said that the potential problems at the tiny village could be compounded by a shortage of 15 officers in Watsonville Police Department.

Buliach also said that the city has ignored zoning rules to allow the project.

“This neighborhood deserved better than what you did here,” she said. “This is not competent and virtuous zoning.”

In a letter to the city, attorney William Seligmann—who is representing the neighbors—said that the project “will drastically change the character and intensity of the current use of the properties.”

“Instead of simply providing religious services, the church properties now will also offer transitional housing and navigation services to a currently unhoused population in addition to the current religious services,” Seligmann wrote.

But Interim Assistant Community Development Director Matt Orbach said that the low-barrier navigation center is a new use that was established lawfully and therefore was not a basis to grant the appeal.

Monterey County Homeless Services Director Roxanne Wilson said she was “truly saddened” by the group’s feeling that the neighborhood is “suffering from the results of people experiencing homelessness.”

Wilson acknowledged that the neighbors’ concerns are valid, but said that the Tiny Village offers a solution that will ease those problems.

“While at full capacity, there will be 34 people who are not going to be sleeping in your parks, not going to get food down the street, not lingering in your streets at night looking for a safe place to lay their heads, not digging through the trash looking for survival materials for the night,” she said.

Councilwoman Kristal Salcido said the council’s job was simply to apply the law.

“Listening to the legislative intent, reading the four sections of this code section, I believe that there has been enough evidence shown to justify the planning commission’s denial, and the zoning administrator’s granting of the use of this facility,” she said.

Now, she said, the council is tasked with making sure the Tiny Village is run correctly.

Pajaro River Watershed a Focus of New Resilience Program

Tarmo Hannula

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March 19, 2025

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Pajaro River Watershed a Focus of New Resilience Program

About 80 people gathered March 10 in the Aromas Community Grange after the California Department of Water Resources selected the Pajaro River Watershed as one of five watersheds to pilot the Watershed Resilience Program.

The initiative, which is supported by a $2 million grant from DWR and administered by Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency, will help the watershed prepare for the ongoing effects of climate change.

“We want to hear from people in multiple areas of the watershed to get their perspective of what they want our modelers to focus on, what they want to see out of a resilience plan and how do they define resilience,” said Marcus Mendiola, water conservation and outreach specialist with the PVWMA. “And what will this thing look like in 20 to 50 years.”

Goals of the three-hour meeting aimed to include as many people, groups and organizations as possible, PVWMA said.

Representatives from Watsonville, San Juan Bautista, Gilroy, Hollister, Morgan Hill, Santa Clara Valley Water, San Benito County Water and the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency joined members of the Nature Conservancy, Green Foothills and native peoples or reps from the Amah Mutsun Land Trust and Indian Canyon Nation at the event.

“We recognize that our watershed has many unique traditions and history with diverse populations that make our watershed unique,” PVWMA said. “The Pajaro River Watershed is home to Native American Tribes, and more than 35 vital underrepresented communities that call the Pajaro River home.”

At one point, the crowd broke into subgroups and rotated between them to brainstorm at seven stations set up about the hall. Those stations were labeled as Water Supply, Groundwater, Flood Management, Cultural Resources, Water Quality, Ecosystems, and Recreational Uses.

In the “Potential Climate Change” portion of the meeting, speakers addressed adverse health issues from degraded water quality levee failures, increased maintenance of operations, post-fire debris impacts on water, and extended power shutoffs. In the land use chapter, they spoke of damage and permanent loss to cultural resources, agricultural pests and diseases, recreational loss and disruptions and permanent habitat loss.

Future workshops in 2025 are slated for June 10, Aug. 20 and Oct. 23, with the final meeting on March 3, 2026.

“This is the first of five workshops,” Mediola said. “We want people to understand what a watershed is and understand the scale of a watershed. This is an opportunity to meet each other in these cities, and counties, water agencies, farmers, ranchers, land owners and hopefully see that we are all interconnected.”

The event concluded with a visioning exercise imaging what the watershed should aim to achieve, and how each attendee defined resilience.

“The next workshop, on June 10 from 9am till noon, will focus on the vulnerabilities of the watershed and will be fully remote to allow access to more members of the public,” Mendiola said. “The third workshop will be in person, focusing on how public agencies should plan to adapt to the previously defined areas of concern that are most vulnerable to climate extremes.”

For information, visit pvwater.org/prwrp.

The Editor’s Desk

Letters to the Editor

Brad Kava

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March 19, 2025

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Santa Cruz California editor of good times news media print and web — Brad Kava | Good Times Editor

I had high hopes for Jeff Bezos when he bought the Washington Post in 2013. Before the days of mega corporations owning media, newspapers were owned by wealthy entrepreneurs who were members of their communities and invested in their well-being, supporting charities, and building museums.

I thought Bezos would follow those traditions and keep his newspaper following journalism’s most revered tradition of bringing light into the darkness and making truth its highest standard.

At first, it seemed that Bezos was doing that. Famed editor Martin Baron wrote a book, Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos and the Washington Post, which praised Bezos’s management and gave us reason for hope.

But things changed with Trump’s second term, Baron says. Bezos overruled his staff’s endorsement of Kamala Harris and he limited the scope of his editorial pages to focus only on “personal liberties and free markets,” quashing what was once an exchange of ideas.

“ It’s been infuriating to observe the damage he has inflicted in recent months on the reputation of a newspaper whose investigative reporting has served as a bulwark against Trump’s most transgressive impulses,” Baron wrote in The Atlantic, noting also that Bezos has offered Melania Trump $40 million for a documentary of her life.

That’s one more reason to stop those ubiquitous Amazon boxes. The others should be obvious: why give money to a rich scallawag who cares nothing about us and why not help our neighbors who own our local businesses?

Joan Hammel’s cover story shows the difficulties and benefits of shopping locally; among the benefits, the kind and knowledgeable help you get in our local stores. I hope it inspires you to drop the box and visit our great local businesses.

Our upcoming Best Of magazine, which comes out the last week of March, is a guide that will help you find our best shops and services. It’s a roadmap to thinking and shopping locally.

Let’s support our neighborhood businesses and free speech at the same time.

We’ve got two fun dog stories in this issue: One on literal hot dogs, the other on dog movie stars. That’s a barking good time.

Enjoy and thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

HUM BABY This hummingbird was shot at the UCSC arboretum March 8. Photograph by Jo Koumouitzes

GOOD IDEA

The Watsonville Center for the Arts (375 Main Street) presents the Eclose Art Exhibit, a solo exhibition by Jaime Sánchez. This showcase runs through May 3 and celebrates artistic transformation and cultural exchange in Watsonville. The gallery opens Mondays and Tuesdays, 3-7pm, with an artist talk March 28 at 6:30pm.
Also, Arts Council Santa Cruz County, in partnership with regional arts organizations, has been awarded a $250,000 workforce development grant as part of Uplift Central Coast’s Catalyst Funding Program. This initiative will help build career pathways for arts educators, addressing the growing demand for credentialed arts teachers.

GOOD WORK

Jennalee Dahlen, founder of Yoso Wellness Spa, has been named the 2025 Esthetician of the Year at The Skin Games, the most prestigious international esthetics competition, recognizing the industry’s top professionals from around the world. Competing against hundreds of estheticians, Dahlen secured 1st and 2nd place rankings in six case study categories before earning the ultimate honor as Esthetician of the Year.
This victory is the culmination of three years, 19 case study categories, and 15 top-three placements, showcasing Dahlen’s expertise in advanced skincare, holistic healing, and results-driven transformations.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Democracy Dies in Darkness.” —The Washington Post’s motto

LETTERS

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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March 19, 2025

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BETRAYAL OF U.S. INTERESTS

As a resident of Santa Cruz, I am outraged by the recent dismantling of USAID, an agency that has worked for over six decades to promote peace, stability and global prosperity. The person most responsible for this reckless move is Elon Musk, who, through his Department of Government Efficiency, has pushed the agenda to slash USAID’s funding.

Musk’s involvement in this effort is particularly troubling. His businesses, from SpaceX to Tesla, benefit from global markets that USAID has helped create. For Musk to attack an agency that supports American businesses by fostering international partnerships is a betrayal of U.S. interests. It’s not just about aid—it’s about economic growth and security.

USAID’s work is far from “wasteful,” as Musk claims. It’s an essential investment that strengthens diplomatic ties, promotes U.S. business abroad, and prevents crises that could lead to military interventions. Musk’s reckless campaign to cut USAID will only embolden adversaries like China and Russia, who are more than willing to fill the void left by the U.S.

We must demand that our leaders restore USAID’s funding. The harm caused by Musk’s actions is not just to the most vulnerable populations—it’s a direct threat to our national security and economic future.

Robin Baker | Santa Cruz

ONLINE COMMENTS

NEW PERFORMANCE COLUMN

I’m glad to see your new Performance column. I wonder if you are aware of our classical string orchestra, the Concertino Strings, that meets and performs regularly in Boulder Creek.

I’m Joanne Tanner, the director. I have been listing our concerts regularly in the GT events, but would love to have a little more about the orchestra in Good Times. We play a new program about every two months and have been increasing in size and quality for the last four years; we began as a pandemic group when many dedicated string players had no place to play for several years because the Cabrillo performing groups shut down.

I especially wanted to direct you to our website, concertinostrings.com, to learn more about Concertino Strings. We now regularly have 25 members, string players from all over Santa Cruz County, and often incorporate harpsichord, organ or piano and sometimes guest wind or percussion.

Our next concerts are at our “residence,” the historic 150 year old Boulder Creek United Methodist Church, 12855 Boulder St., on April 9 at 11:30am and April 12 at 3pm. The theme is “Celebrate Spring with Strings.” The program will be Edward Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, Op 20, subtitled “Spring Serenade”; Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Organ, Joanne Tanner and Robert Jackson, soloists; Renata Bratt’s Joy in the Day, an upbeat mashup of fiddle tunes mixed with “Singing in the Rain” and “Blue Skies”—the audience will have an opportunity to join in on vocals!

Admission is always FREE with donations gratefully accepted. Concerts are an hour long. For more info about the orchestra, go to concertinostrings.com.

Joanne Tanner | GoodTimes.sc

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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March 19, 2025

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ARIES March 21-April 19

Cheetahs are the fastest land animals. From standing still, they can be running at 70 miles per hour three seconds later. But they can’t sustain that intensity. After a 20-second burst, they need to relax and recover. This approach serves them well, enabling them to prey on the small creatures they like to eat. I encourage you to be like a metaphorical cheetah in the coming weeks, Aries. Capitalize on the power of focused, energetic spurts. Aim for bursts of dedicated effort, followed by purposeful rest. You don’t need to pursue a relentless pace to succeed. Recognize when it’s right to push hard and when it’s time to recharge.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

Inside a kaleidoscope, the colored shards of glass are in an ever-shifting chaotic jumble. But internal mirrors present pleasing symmetrical designs to the person gazing into the kaleidoscope. I see a similar phenomenon going on in your life. Some deep intelligence within you (your higher self?) is creating intriguing patterns out of an apparent mess of fragments. I foresee this continuing for several weeks. So don’t be quick to jump to conclusions about your complicated life. A hidden order is there, and you can see its beauty if you’re patient and poised.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

Spiders spin their webs with meticulous care, crafting structures that are delicate, strong and useful. Their silk is five times more robust than steel of the same diameter. It’s waterproof, can stretch 140 percent of its length without splitting and maintains its sturdiness at temperatures as low as -40 degrees. With that in mind, Gemini, I bid you to work on fortifying and expanding your own web in the coming weeks—by which I mean your network of connections and support. It’s an excellent time to deepen and refine your relationships with the resources and influences that help hold your world together.

CANCER June 21-July 22

Chichén Itzá was a large pre-Columbian city from around 600 to 1200 CE. It was built by Mayan people in what’s now Mexico. At the city center was a pyramid, the Temple of Kukulcán. During the equinoxes, and only on the equinoxes, sunlight fell on its steps in such a way as to suggest a snake descending the stairs. The mathematical, architectural and astronomical knowledge necessary to create this entertaining illusion was phenomenal. In that spirit, I am pleased to tell you that you are now capable of creating potent effects through careful planning. Your strategic thinking will be enhanced, especially in projects that require long-term vision. The coming weeks will be a favorable time for initiatives that coordinate multiple elements to generate fun and useful outcomes.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

Fireflies produce very efficient light. Nearly all the energy expended in their internal chemical reactions is turned directly into their intense glow. By contrast, light bulbs are highly inefficient. In accordance with astrological omens, Leo, I urge you to be like a firefly in the coming weeks, not a light bulb. You will have dynamic power to convert your inner beauty into outer beauty. Be audacious! Be uninhibited! Shower the world with full doses of your radiant gifts.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Brazil nut trees grow in the Amazon—but if only they are in the vicinity of orchid bees, their sole pollinators. And orchid bees thrive in no other place except where there are lots of blooming orchids. So the Brazil nut tree has very specific requirements for its growth and well-being. You Virgos aren’t quite so picky about the influences that keep you fertile and flourishing—though sometimes I do worry about it. The good news is that in the coming months, you will be casting a wider net in quest of inspiration and support. I suspect you will gather most, maybe all, of the inspiration and support you need.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

In 1858, businessperson James Miller Williams was digging a new water well on his land in Ontario, hoping to compensate for a local drought. He noticed oil was seeping out of the hole he had scooped. Soon, he became the first person in North America to develop a commercial oil well. I suspect that you, too, may soon stumble upon valuable fuels or resources, Libra—and they may be different from what you imagined you were looking for. Be alert and open-minded for unexpected discoveries.

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

I’ve been through the US education system, and I can testify that our textbooks don’t give the French enough of the credit they deserve for helping our fledging nation gain independence from Great Britain. The 18th-century American Revolution would not have succeeded without extensive aid from France. So I’m a little late, but I am hereby showering France with praise and gratitude for its intervention. Now I encourage you, too, to compensate for your past lack of full appreciation for people and influences that have been essential to you becoming yourself. It’s a different kind of atonement: not apologizing for sins, but offering symbolic and even literal rewards to underestimated helpers and supporters.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

As I survey the astrological aspects, I am tempted to encourage you to be extra expansive about love. I am curious to see the scintillating intimacy you might cultivate. So, in the hope you’re as intrigued by the experimental possibilities as I am, I invite you to memorize the following words by author Maya Angelou and express them to a person with whom you want to play deeper and wilder: “You are my living poem, my symphony of the untold, my golden horizon stretched beyond what the eye can see. You rise in me like courage, fierce and unyielding, yet soft as a lullaby sung to a weary soul. You are my promise kept, my hope reborn, the infinite melody in the heart of silence. I hold you in the marrow of my joy, where you are home.”

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Four facts about a mountain goat as it navigates along steep and rocky terrain: 1. It’s strong and vigorous; 2. it’s determined and unflappable; 3. it’s precise and disciplined; 4. it calls on enormous stamina and resilience. According to my astrological analysis, you Capricorns will have maximum access to all these capacities during the coming weeks. You can use them to either ascend to seemingly impossible heights or descend to fantastically interesting depths. Trust in your power to persevere. Love the interesting journey as much as the satisfaction of reaching the goal of the journey.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

The Swiss Army knife is a compact assemblage of tools. These may include a nail file, scissors, magnifying glass, screwdriver, pliers, blade, can opener and many others. Is there a better symbol for adaptability and preparedness? I urge you to make it your metaphorical power object during the coming weeks, Aquarius. Explore new frontiers of flexibility, please. Be ready to shift perspective and approach quickly and smoothly. Be as agile and multifaceted as you dare.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

Coast redwoods are the tallest trees on the planet. If, Goddess forbid, lumber harvesters cut down one of these beauties, it can be used to build more than 20 houses. And yet each mature tree begins as a seed the size of a coat button. Its monumental growth is steady and slow, relying on robust roots and a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that enables it to absorb water from fog. I propose we make the redwood your power symbol for now, Pisces. Inspired by its process, I hope you implement the magic of persistent, incremental growth. Treasure the fact that a fertile possibility has the potential, with patience and nurturing, to ripen into a long-term asset. Trust that small efforts, fueled by collaboration, will lead to gratifying achievements.

Homework: Henry James said, “Excellence does not require perfection.” Give an example from your own life. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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March 19, 2025

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THURSDAY 3/20

INDIE

DUFF THOMPSON AND STEPH GREEN

Canadian alt-indie singer-songwriter Duff Thompson makes loose-limbed and tuneful music with pop, folk and garage rock flavors. His most recent releases are a pair of albums, 2023’s Shadow People and Shadow People II (2024). The two collections eschew studio trickery in favor of a spare aesthetic focusing on Thompson’s vocals and lyrics. Steph Green is a former street musician, producer, multi-instrumentalist and, most importantly, a songwriter. Her gentle vocals immerse the listener in an alluring musical reverie. Green’s 2023 release, Lore, showcases a lush and contemplative musical style with a gentle, high lonesome vibe. BILL KOPP

INFO: 9pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $20. 429-6994.

PERFORMANCE ART

TRANSCEIVERS

Transceivers promises an evening of poetry augmented by intriguing music. Michael Logue makes adventurous improvisational electroacoustic music and soundscapes using analog synthesizers, signal processors and other technology. David Tristram combines audio and visual works and participated in last year’s International Live Looping Festival. Improvisational guitarist Frederick Malouf’s 2022 album, Soulscapes, immerses the listener in warm, friendly tones that explore the soul within music’s many genres. In keeping with a poetic aesthetic, the event organizers promise that “your conciseness [sic] will open, our universe will both expand and contract, and the night will be memorable.” BK

INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Dr., Soquel. $5-$10. 477-1341.

FRIDAY 3/21

ALT ROCK

KIM DEAL

Best known as the original bass player and a vocalist in the hugely influential alt-rock band the Pixies, Kim Deal was far too unique a talent to stay contained in lead Pixie Frank Black’s formidable shadow. She teamed up with Tanya Donelly to record the Breeders’ fantastic first album, Pod. When Donelly stepped aside, Deal brought in her twin sister Kelly to record a second Breeders album, scoring a huge hit with the album’s first single, “Cannonball.” Late last year, she released her first solo album, Nobody Loves You More, which she is currently touring. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN

INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, $69. 423-8209.

COMEDY

DNA & KARIN BABBITT

Santa Cruz comedy wouldn’t be Santa Cruz comedy without the prolific, omnipresent, relentlessly driven and yet somehow simultaneously incredibly mellow comedian who is legally named (yes, it’s on his ID) DNA. For years, he has kept the local comedy scene alive with his annual comedy festival and the gigs he’s booked at various venues around town, including his dream project, DNA’s Comedy Lab, which fell victim to Covid striking just as it was getting going. He announced earlier this year that he’d be packin’ up and moving on, but it looks like there’s at least one more DNA gig to enjoy when he and his talented, funny friend Karin Babbitt come together to each record their debut comedy album. KLJ

INFO: 7:30pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $23. 427-2227.

INDIE

EVENING ELEPHANTS

Two uninspired musicians walk into a backyard and leave with an idea. Emerging from a late-night conversation between two strangers, Sam Boggs and Brandon Leslie schemed up the idea for a friendly neighborhood band, Evening Elephants. A year later, they performed their first show in the same backyard where they first met. This kismet meeting gave way to gritty yet authentic indie pop. Frontperson Boggs describes their sound as eclectic, something he feels pinpoints their energy and personalities, which he calls “happy-sad.” Fans will be transported to a summer evening and enjoy energetic, boisterous melodies intertwined with honest, poetic lyrics. SHELLY NOVO

INFO: 9pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $19. 713-5492.

SATURDAY 3/22

INDIE

NICK JAINA

Nick Jaina plays with light and sound, offering up music straight from the heart. His peaceful sound seeks to be a healing force for the listener. Jaina now returns to Lille Aeske Arthouse, the home of the mysterious SPEKTRA installation, on which he collaborated in 2018. His upcoming show reflects the whimsy and magic of his body of work, from SPEKTRA to his books and memoirs and his compositions for film scores. Jaina has invested in the art world, teaching writing workshops and cofounding a ballet company. The invitation to hear his music and words is not to be missed. SN

INFO: 8pm, Lille Aeske Arthouse, 13160 Highway 9, Boulder Creek. $20/adv, $25/door. 703-4183.

FESTIVAL

COFFIS SPACE 3

They say great things come in threes, and this year, the Coffis Brothers will celebrate Coffis Space 3, their third annual weekend festival featuring local music, food, artistry and comedy. Festivities kick off on Saturday with Tim Bluhm from the Mother Hips along with the Santa Cruz Mountain rockers, the Coffis Brothers themselves, plus comedy from DNA, the local king of comedy who recently moved back to Chico but can’t keep away, like all Santa Cruzans deep down inside. Drinks from Moe’s award-winning bar staff, food and drinks from Sleight of Hand Pizza and Humble Sea Brewing and beautiful, handmade jewelry by Everything & Nothing make extra cash worth bringing. MAT WEIR

INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $22/adv, $27/door. 479-1854.

AVANT-GARDE

STILL HOUSE PLANTS

Assembled like three different house plants, each with their own living conditions yet sitting on the same windowsill, the band brings a soothing, disjointed and unified sound to their experimental rock and jazz. Still and always in motion, their music results from a collaborative and abstract journey through the minds and expressions of the band. They combine directions, sounds, emotions and sensations to create something new, often working with fragmented guitar lines, warping vocals and inconsistent drum patterns to pull themselves and the listener through a chaotic current of multidimensional music. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. $20.

SUNDAY 3/23

AMERICANA

UNTANGLED

Life is messy. Like, really messy. Humans always have a way of jumbling things up into situations that are often way more complicated than they need to be. Maybe it’s because they think they’re smarter than they are. Or perhaps it’s because everything is connected, and one action leads to another until everything becomes one knotted ball of confusion, anxiety, depression, anger and so on. Thankfully, there’s always music to smooth things out, and that’s precisely what Santa Cruz’s Americana pop outfit Untangled sets out to do. Led by artist, author and bookmaker Peter Thomas, Untangled is acoustic folk music, complete with washboards, made for a straightforward, easygoing and rootsy time. MW

INFO: 3pm, Discretion Brewery, 2703 41st Ave. Ste. A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.

Feeling Felton

Dining Reviews

Mark C. Anderson

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March 19, 2025

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Touring one-man band and viral video star Saxsquatch, appearing as Bigfoot April 4 at Felton Music Hall (6275 Highway 9), has a motto that feels helpful: “Be what you believe in.”

At the moment that messaging appears on a Saxquatch show poster on the wall at FMH. But it also thumps in the heart of the concert venue, which positions itself less than a mile from the legendary Bigfoot Discovery Museum.

Last week, a different creature took the stage. As Chicago-based Pelican gave wings to its own take on instrumental-atmospheric metal, local craft beer flowed in the lodge-like bar area, and “ (which is open 5-8pm show days and 11am-8pm Friday-Sunday).

I was there on behalf of KRML 94.7FM Radio—which is definitely being-what-it-believes-in, namely that local radio works—having extended its independent airwaves to Santa Cruz last year, while partnering with the likes of FMH and the Catalyst on a concert calendar airing around 12:45pm weekdays.

And while there’s a lot going on at FMH, plenty more awaits in its vicinity. Here appears a round up:

• At The Grove (6249 Highway 9), pastry chef-owner-operator-pop up legend Jessica Yarr continues to honor a believe-in-what-you-want-to-be approach and her Felton heritage. (Her parents, after all, ran the aforementioned Bigfood Museum!) Grove just celebrated its second anniversary and has new hours as of this week—8am-2pm Monday-Thursday, 8am-6pm Friday Saturday, 8am-3pm Sunday—to pair with 1) a new dinner program three times a week; 2) weekly supper club take-home menus starting the first week of April; 3) upcoming Thursday neighborhood nights; 4) a more involved catering operation; and 5) #YarrStar appearances at upcoming events like Pebble Beach Food & Wine (April 10-13) and Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival (May 4-5), thegrovefelton.com.

• Over in the kitchen at the mountain branch of Taqueria Vallarta (6272 Highway 9, Felton) I decided to test them out on one of my go-tos, remembering every Mexican-food lover should have a favorite barometer—or five—for quality taco spots. Their carnitas tacos are a tribute to a treasured category for me, juicy yet crispy, rich yet not greasy, loaded with a towering lump of toppings, enjoytaqueriavallarta.com.

• Even a reinvented gas station is adding flavor: Great Gas & Food Mart (6320 Highway 9) has replaced Cornerstone Gas and—on top of already updated snacks, hoodies, and a surprisingly stocked tobacco, cannabis and smoking gear gallery—has a coffee shop on the way, (831) 335-9104.

• Cult hit Emerald Mallard, a chef Lance Ebert joint nesting in Humble Sea Tavern (6256 Highway 9, Felton), leans toward contemporary Francophile-Californian, with artisan breads and croque madames. While the OG smash burger continues to headline during regular Thursday-Saturday dinner hours, Point Reyes oysters, duck leg confit, fried chicken sandwiches and Thursday-Friday happy hour specials (4-5pm) also do well. Then there’s occasional Ramen Nights with steamed bao buns, chicken katsu and what I really want to believe in: kimchi okonomiyaki, emeraldmallard.com.

Editor’s note: Details about Emerald Mallard menu changed on April 12, 2025.

No-Frills Franks

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

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March 19, 2025

0

Serving signature no-frills frankfurters in Watsonville since 1954, Taylor Brothers Hot Dog Stand has been passed down through three generations, originally founded in Visalia by Matt Taylor’s grandpa and great uncle.

Matt had originally planned to follow in his dad’s law enforcement footsteps, but found he wasn’t feeling that path and was instead called to the family business. Born and raised in Visalia, he started working at that stand right out of high school, going from employee to manager and then co-owner at age 26.

Taylor defines Taylor Brothers Hot Dogs in Watsonville as definitionally classic and old school, from the walk-up neon diner feel to the simple menu and business model that has gone mostly unchanged over 70-plus years of history. The hot dogs are the menu item, a beef/pork blend that comes in one size and is prepared on a steam table.

The traditional white bread buns track, served steamed, fluffy and soft. The standard dog comes with mustard, sweet relish, onions and Matt’s grandma’s proprietary beef chili recipe—not too sweet, not too spicy and with no beans. Bag chips like Lay’s, Ruffles and Fritos are offered pairings, as well as candy and soda.

Define the hot dog’s role in Americana.

MATT TAYLOR: The hot dog has a special place in American culture, from Nathan’s July Fourth contest to countless summer cookouts and picnics. And sporting events too, especially baseball, which our family is huge fans of and is synonymous with hot dogs. It really is the perfect hand-to-mouth food; it doesn’t drip or make a huge mess. It’s totally self-contained and you don’t need a table to eat it, the simplicity of it as a food is unrivaled.

To what do you attribute the business’ longevity?

It builds on itself because at this point after 70 years, we’ve had generations of people coming to the stand. There is a big sense of nostalgia that’s really huge for us, and we hold a special place in people’s hearts and Watsonville’s culture. I can’t go an hour working the stand there without hearing so many special and unique customer stories and family memories. Maybe it was a first date here, or the Saturday spot to go with dad, or getting hot dogs and sneaking them into the movie theater.

336 Union Street, Watsonville, 831-722-2402.

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