On the night of the Fourth of July, I flew into New Orleans.  I watched from above as fireworks sailed from below into the sky to celebrate Independence Day. The young man from a small Louisiana coastal town sitting next to me said “I’ve never seen fireworks from above.” “Me neither.”

“I’ve never been on a plane before this either,” he added.
A few hours later I was back in the sky, this time flying above a different kind of fireworks. The kind that mourn our dependence. Our small Cessna traced the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi, documenting the flow of oil and tar balls onto islands, wetlands, mangroves, beaches and the inadequacy of the bright yellow and orange booms floating here and there and more often than not, beachcast and twisted by the wind and waves.

Groundbreaking local business Virtual Venues Network gives live music fans the next best thing to being there
In the late ’90s, local music promoter Michael Horne went to a Rolling Stones concert that changed his life. It wasn’t the music that made such a big impression—it was the fact that rather than watching the band, Horne found himself focused on a giant screen that was showing the concert to audience members too far back to get a good view of the performers. “We were way, way back in the nosebleed seats, and it started to rain,” he recalls. “I remember looking at my girlfriend: ‘You realize we paid 130 bucks to watch a screen’—because Mick’s an inch tall—‘in the rain? And everyone’s happy! We’re stoked to pay $130, 20 bucks to park, $8 for a bottle of water, sit in the nosebleed seats, watch the screen and call that rock & roll!’”

Plus Letters to Good Times…
Beyond 2012
Embracing ‘2012’
Wet Spots
You probably saw this coming: virtual music venues—it is the 21st century, after all—but what you may not have factored into the mix was how enterprising such a beast could be, especially when Santa Cruzans are behind the scenes creatively. That’s where Virtual Venues Network (VVN) comes in. Spearheaded by several locals, this concert-screenings business caters to a “closed-circuit network of clubs and college campuses” that participate in exclusive concert events. Think of it like Pay-Per-View with a twist. Now booming, VVN offers nightclubs, sports bars, colleges and theaters across the nation plenty of opportunities to unveil one-time virtual concerts from many prominent bands. Writer Damon Orion uncovers the unique journey the founders of VVN have taken, and what the future holds for the business model.

New book offers myriad resources to help us de-stress our harried lives
Cashing in on stress is big business nowadays. On a daily basis, advertisements bombard us with products promising to help us rest and relax—exercise programs, eating plans, videos, books, music, vacations—all guaranteeing to be the quintessential key to stress reduction. But with our BlackBerrys and iPhones constantly chirruping, oil spills freely gushing into the ocean and the global economy still stagnating it’s no wonder that we have all turned into giant balls of stress and tension, struggling to schlep through our lives day in and day out.

GT catches up with Kirby Scudder and Mark Halfmoon while they’re on the road
Joni Mitchell, the Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, the Eagles, Tupac and Katy Perry have one thing in common: They have all sang about California. But what inspired these myriad artists to profess their love for the Golden State? Local artist Kirby Scudder and filmmaker Mark Halfmoon are in the process of making an educated guess.

When GT caught up with our real-time documentarians in May, they were about to embark on a counterclockwise road trip around California to find out what inspires people about the state. On a mission to disprove the pessimistic image of Californians in the media, Scudder and Halfmoon hoped to provide an outlet for locals to share their passion and experiences.

Local fitness trainer whips us into shape with her new book
Atkins, Weight Watchers, Jared from Subway—these days everyone seems to have an answer to your weight loss problem. But whom should we listen to, now that it’s barbeque season?

As much as she hates to burst your bubble, local Toadal Fitness trainer and now self-published author, Rebecca Rovay-Hazelton is here to discredit one-size-fits-all health plans and offer tips for guiltless summertime grilling.

In her debut self-help book “Choosing Health,” released this May, Rovay-Hazelton uses her knowledge as a licensed American Health Science University Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, to give you the lowdown on the pitfalls of dieting.

It is easy to enjoy the exceptional food served at Chaminade when paired with wonderful wines. In this case, Vine Hill is the participating winery at one of the series of Farm to Table dinners I attended recently with my husband. These lovely events typically feature local organic farmers and one of our wonderful local wineries. Seating is outdoors (with heaters for the chilly evenings!), dinners are served family style at one long table, and the whole idea is to enjoy the experience of sharing food and wine together in a beautiful setting with a panoramic view of the Monterey Bay. With this in mind, hubby and I head to Chaminade early (the events starts at 5:30 p.m.)—totally prepared to catch maximum rays and a good glass of wine before dinner.

Hors d’oeuvres are already being passed, and Vine Hill is pouring whatever wine you prefer from their selection of chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, zinfandel—and so on. Vine Hill also makes wines under other labels—Cumbre and Gatos Locos—so they cover a broad spectrum.

We immediately run into four friends and thoroughly enjoy spending the evening with them. We are all impressed with the participating farms – Surfside Chicken and A.C.E. Organics, and the excellent cuisine of executive chef Beverlie Terra, who periodically comes out to talk about the food and to check that we’re all having a good time.

Vine Hill Winery owner Nick Guerrero and vineyard manager Rachel Ormes are sitting opposite, so wine talk is flowing like champagne. I finish with a superb pinot noir—and, as the sun sets in a stunning golden glow over the ocean, I heave a sigh of total satisfaction. Food, wine and good conversation have all come together in perfect unison.

Vine Hill Winery, 2300 Jarvis Road, Santa Cruz, 427-0436. vinehillwinery.com. Chaminade Resort & Spa, One Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz, 475-5600. chaminade.com. The next Farm to Table dinner is on Friday, July 23 and features the wines of Poetic Cellars. Tickets are $65 per person. Call Chaminade for reservations. The last two are on Aug. 20 and Sept. 24.

Wine Events
The Aptos History Museum presents A Night to Rally at Seascape Sports Club on Friday, July 16 from 6-8:30 p.m. This fundraising event takes place around the pool and showcases fine local wines and restaurants. Tickets are $40 in advance, which also allows you to see the quarterfinals feature tennis match of the Comerica Bank Challenger. Call for tickets 688-1467.

Seascape Sports Club, 1505 Seascape Blvd., Aptos, 688-1993. seascapesportsclub.com. The Comerica Bank Challenger tennis tournament, with world-ranked players, begins on July 12 and runs until July 18. Call Seascape Sports Club for tickets: 688-1993.

Freedom’s Wooden Nickel Bar and Grill serves up huge plates of fresh, flavorful comfort food
It had been a decade since I last met friends at the Wooden Nickel Bar and Grill. The place had been described to me as a dive bar. But this 30-year old establishment is bright, with natural light from real windows. And from the boisterous laughter spilling into the adjacent restaurant as we waited for dinner, I could tell it was a welcoming neighborhood bar, the kind where everybody knows your name.

The restaurant seemed to be an addition, as rough-hewn timbers supported weathered bricks forming an open doorway from the bar. The decor was rather Pacific Northwest mountain cabin-style with moose wallpaper borders, carved wooden totems, and a mounted pair of antlers. On each table was a full complement of condiments including three styles of Beaver brand Oregonian mustard and A.1. Steak Sauce. Under the glass that protected the tablecloth, I was surprised to see a full-page wine list.

The small parking lot on the corner of Mission and Bay streets was surprisingly full for a midweek lunch, and inside the new restaurant named burger followed by a period, (there are no capital letters anywhere on the menu), tables were filled with people enjoying World Cup Soccer on two large flatscreens.

Behind the counter (located at the Bay Street entrance) multi-colored chalk lettering describes the menu. Humboldt grass-fed beef from small, free-range, northern Californian farms is featured, but the house-made black bean-based veggie burger ($6.75) is popular.

I grew up in the heart of the Midwest and so did my taste buds.  Church potlucks with scalloped potatoes, tuna casserole, and jello salad were my idea of a good time.  My mom was an excellent (and healthy) cook, but leading the charge in the snack food category was my unreasonably thin father.  He followed the farming tradition of eating a big lunch (called “dinner”) and having a light “supper” or, his preference, none at all.  To this day his favorite meal in the evening consists of popcorn–and I’m talking GALLONS of it—popped, these days, in canola oil with plenty of salt and sliced apples and cheddar cheese neatly arranged on top.  He should be a representative for the Stir Crazy corporation as he has run through probably thirty of their poppers in his lifetime.