From slinging trash to living in a VW van, musician Billy Manzik is roughing it and loving it

Back in his hometown of Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada, Billy Manzik was a local-boy-made-good, appearing at festivals and nabbing a performing spot at the reception for the Junos (Canada’s Grammy Awards). But offstage, the roots/Americana singer/songwriter/guitarist was engaging in some unglamorous pursuits. “You can’t really [play music] full time in Thunder Bay,” he explains. “So I was throwing garbage bags in minus 40 weather … Oh, man—I took some horrible work.”

‘The Artist’ a witty, splendid homage to the silent film era 

You can’t say filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius lacks the courage of his convictions. When he set out to make a movie that pays homage to Hollywood’s silent era, not only did he film in vintage black-and-white, he dared to shoot the entire movie without audible dialogue, relying on only the occasional title card, music, and the actors’ expressiveness to tell the story. The splendid result is The Artist, in which Hazanavicius wields the classic storytelling tools of the silent film era with fresh new exuberance. It may look and feel vintage, but The Artist is one of the most original movies of the year.

Now … what’s your motivation? 

Just as actors examine their motivation to portray Mr./Mrs. Everyman on the screen, (or sometimes, we hope, Neverman,) we as audience members need motivation to buy that increasingly pricey ticket and be a face in the dark. Defining that motivation is a billion-dollar industry, but individually, what drives us to the box office is very personal. What internal elements combine with Hollywood magic to create that perfect match? I’ve boiled my own cinema quotient down to four essential movie-food groups. Whether or not agree with my reasoning, you might consider similar examination when making your film choices, or more importantly, when someone suggests, “You really need to see Young Adult.”

Films This Week
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Plus Letters to the Editor 

A woman once asked me if I could spare “change.” When I gave her a quarter, she laughed at me and said: “I meant ‘transformation’ honey!” That about sums up what could be unfolding for many of us during this busy holiday season. Change—are we ever really ready for it? All those things we always wish and hope for … those dreams we can’t wait to fulfill … suddenly when it arrives, sometimes it’s not quite in the form we imagined. And so it goes. We plan our lives … and the cosmos chuckles.

Santa Cruz invited to support Chris Rene at The Catalyst’s ‘X Factor’ Viewing Party

Who needs tickets to the live taping of “The X Factor” finale episodes this week, when you can be a part of the magic right here in Santa Cruz? On Wednesday, Dec. 21, the community is invited to cheer on local singer/songwriter and show contestant Chris Rene at a special viewing party at The Catalyst.

One Woman’s (Holiday) Story

Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Joyous Kwanzaa to you. Or, if you are of the ilk, Hello, it’s Thursday!

This time of year it is difficult to avoid a winter holiday of one flavor or another in our culture, whether religious, spiritual, cultural or familial. While it is undeniable that the long, dark and cold nights lend themselves to inner contemplation, whether or not this self-examination is part of a larger celebration for you is really none of my business. I don’t plan to change that. What I do plan to do, however, is make my “me time” a little bit of your business. Not because it’s special. In fact it is just the opposite.

Sparkling Wine for New Year’s Eve

The countdown to the end of 2011 has begun. As we plan our New Year’s Eve festivities, most of us have Champagne on our shopping list. After all, there’s nothing that compares to a fine glass of bubbly to celebrate going into a brand new year. And it doesn’t have to be French. An excellent Champagne (or sparkling wine as it has to be called if it’s made outside of the Champagne region of France) is made right here in town by expert winemaker Barry Jackson of Equinox Wine.

Bookshop Santa Cruz, because you can never go wrong with a good book. Artisan’s because it has fabulous local crafts, paintings, jewelry, glass, wearables and other great things. Gabriella’s Restaurant gift certificates—good for the whole family any time.
Susan Lysik
Santa Cruz | Retired 

Chinese Village and Bamboo Garden add different twists to favorite dishes

For some time I’ve marveled at the coexistence of two adjacent Chinese restaurants on Capitola Road. The atmosphere in each is distinct, from the decor to the seating, and although the three quarters of the two menus are similar, I found the preparation styles, ingredients, and flavors very different. The lightly cooked fresh vegetables at both establishments were excellent.

In the Chinese Village parking lot, median strips were planted with Asian herbs. Inside, owner Sally Wong, still wearing her apron, was enjoying her mid-day meal at the counter. Her experience in the kitchen spans many decades. The restaurant, which opened in 1976, has been at its current location for about15 years.