Streep terrific as groundbreaking Thatcher in otherwise uneven ‘Iron Lady’

Everything you may have heard about Meryl Streep’s performance in The Iron Lady is true. Yes, she’s that good. As Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first (and only) female prime minister, conservative stalwart of the 1980s, supporter of global Reaganomics, and tireless foe of unions and progressives, Streep delivers more than an acute impersonation. (Her distillation of Thatcher’s speech patterns, mannerisms, and overall appearance are freakishly effective. Streep even manages to look shorter.) But Streep also conveys the complexity of the woman beneath the familiar persona, softened with warmth and wit, yet steeled with intelligence and self-determination. As a role, it’s not as much fun as playing Julia Child, but Streep’s performance is just as absorbing.

SANTA CRUZ > Although Election Day is still months away, local residents are beginning to get educated on the issues that may land on ballots come November. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Santa Cruz chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) co-sponsered a meeting with the Santa Cruz chapter of the ACLU and Health Care for All, an organization dedicated to bringing universal healthcare to California.

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Fill up your passport without breaking the bank by taking a tour of Santa Cruz’s many wineries

This Saturday, Jan. 21, the Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association (SCMWA) will hold their winter Passport Day. For just $40, participants gain access to 50 different wineries throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains with tastings available at each stop. Simply present the winery with your special purple passport and receive a taste of their latest offerings. At each winery, passport will be marked with a stamp to indicate completion of another leg of the trip. Though the journey is the fun part, participants who fill their passport will receive a special gift to commemorate their completion.

Santa Cruz teens qualify for national battle of the bands competition

The four local teens who make up Almost Chaos will get their second chance to take home the gold at this weekend’s SchoolJam USA Battle of Bands competition. The band will travel with their families to Disneyland to participate in the annual competition for the second time since 2010. Almost Chaos beat out thousands of other entrants to secure a place as one of only eight bands selected to perform at this weekend’s event.

Vino de Mocca—California Grape Wine with Coffee, Chocolate and Orange

I’m giving you all a heads up for Valentine’s Day so that you have time to visit Kirigin Cellars in Gilroy and get some Vino de Mocca. This voluptuous wine is available only at the winery, so you will have to go out there to get some. But it will be worth it.

Jacob Martinez, Monica Martinez, Jeremy Neuner and Mark Davidson top the list of creative innovators in Santa Cruz Next’s annual awards gala

Editor’s Note: With a motto like “inform, inspire and involve,” it’s hard not to appreciate the efforts Santa Cruz Next has been making locally to not only unite innovative minds, but also to foster a networking environment that allows those minds to possibly work together to create powerful changes in our local government and culture. It’s fitting then that Santa Cruz Next begins the new year with an awards gala that illuminates the work of four locals doing just that. As the third annual Nexties unfolds on Jan. 28, all eyes will be on the fab four who grabbed this year’s honors: Jacob Martinez, Monica Martinez, Mark Davidson and Jeremy Neuner. Oh, what a collection of passionate souls this foursome is. Jacob is creating a sea change among the Latino and tech communities; Monica is forging ahead to combat homelessness; Neuner is the enterprising man who helped launch NextSpace, and Davidson’s love of mountain biking has somehow transformed an entire sports community. As you peruse the following pages and learn more about these dynamic individuals, you’ll note that their commitment to strengthening our community is as impressive as it is inventive. Onward …

Girl Goth rock group, Only You, doesn’t play nice

In popular music, the phrase “Only You” dates back to 1955, when The Platters harmoniously wooed listeners with its sentimental doo-wop hit “Only You (And You Alone).” Several covers of the song have sprung up since—from Ringo and John’s folky ’70s rendition, to Reba McEntire’s country version—but it wasn’t until three months ago that “Only You” became the moniker of an all-female surf rock and dream pop quartet.

Only You channels the passion and sincerity of The Platters, under the leadership of Los Angeles native Rachel Fannan, a former employee at Streetlight Records, who is better known for contributing vocals to the San Francisco-based psychedelic rock band Sleepy Sun.

Emblazoned with their Tumblr address and the simple statement “We got soul,” the vintage matchbook calling card of Skinny Ricky & The Casual Encounters perfectly embodies the spirit of the band: resurrecting the past with a touch of class and a unique twist. The local group plays classic ’60s soul music, and, according to bassist Mikael Witte, they have a clear mission in mind. “One of the main goals of the group is to bring this kind of music back that a lot of people aren’t aware of existing,” says Witte. “To bring it in the way that we play it, and to make them feel that it’s still relevant, and that it’s something that will make you feel something.”