These days, Nathan Willett values the autonomy he and his band, Cold War Kids, have gained over a career that now stretches 20 years and spans 10 albums.
That sense of freedom has shown up in tangible ways, first on the band’s “New Age Norms” trilogy of releases and now on a self-titled album released in October. Cold War Kids embarked on these projects after their contract with Capitol Records expired and the band in 2018 released a greatest hits collection, “This Will All Blow Over In Time,” and a live album, “Audience.”
In a sense, those two releases marked the end of a chapter in the Cold War Kids story, and Willett, in a late-January phone interview, said he wanted to cast aside some of the usual considerations that come with making new music.
The format itself for “New Age Norms” was a bit of a rebellious statement. Each eight-song installment was a little long to be marketed as an EP, but a bit short of being a full album and was recorded with a different producer. The first installment arrived in November 2019, followed by “New Age Norms 2” in August of 2020 and the final chapter in September 2021.
“I think it represented a sort of, a lot of things,” Willett said of ‘New Age Norms. “I think it represented a certain type of freedom and a certain type of like totally not really caring about how it’s all going to land. For me a lot of it is breaking the constraint of the album or the single and just kind of being somewhere in between and being sort of in a way maximal, a maximalism in ways it was this huge exercise in writing and production and trying things and spreading our wings and working with different people, working in different ways, finding different sounds, asking us what can a Cold War Kids song be like?
“I think it came at a time also when we had this sort of contractually obligated best-of collection we had to put out and the we did our live record, which both ended up being great, but it was just so much backward looking that I wanted to just open the floodgates of like, I just want to write a lot,” he said. “And yeah, I really needed it. It was a really healthy thing.”
The three “New Age Norms” releases were well received, with some critics praising Cold War Kids for broadening their musical horizons, while delivering hook-filled songs that retained the band’s signature mix of alt-rock with shadings of R&B and blues, yet also being a bit more concise and a little less chaotic than early hits like “Hang Me Up To Dry” or “Something Is Not Right With Me.”
The self-titled album is back to a more conventional format of 12 songs, but it also reflects Willett’s willingness to challenge himself and continue being open to new collaborations and creative approaches. He worked with several new producer/songwriters, including Militarie Gun’s Max Epstein, Casey Lagos (Kesha, Wrabel), Ethan Gruska (Phoebe Bridgers, Weezer), Jenn Decliveo (Miley Cyrus, Hozier) and Malay (Frank Ocean, Lorde). And he continued to explore the question of what can a new Cold War Kids song be like these days.
One notable shift came with the lyrics, which found Willett getting more introspective and personal, although not in the spill-my-guts style that’s popular these days. Musically, “Cold War Kids” offers a compelling mix of rockers (the catchy “Double Life”), upbeat soul-inflected pop (“Blame,” “Run Away With Me”) bouncy alt-pop (“Empty Inside”) and rich balladry (“Another Name” and “Starring Role.”)
Much of the musical growth Cold War Kids have made and will make in the future can be traced back to a fundamental change that happened ahead of the group’s third album, 2011’s “Mine Is Yours.” Up to then the band had been a democracy, with the four original members (singer/keyboardist/guitarist Willett, guitarist Jonnie Russell, bassist Matt Maust and drummer Matt Aveiro) seeking to contribute equally to the songwriting.
Willett and his bandmates realized democracy wasn’t working, communicating was tricky and the songs themselves sometimes suffered. The better approach was to have one songwriter steering the ship, and Willett took on that role.
The band’s lineup has evolved since, with Willett, Maust, David Quon (guitar), Matthew Schwartz (keyboards, guitar, percussion) and Joe Plummer (drums) intact since 2016, while Willett has remained the songwriter and leader in Cold War Kids.
He’s still, however, learning how to navigate the process of writing, bringing songs to his bandmates and keeping things moving forward right through recording so the songs become the best they can be.
“On one level, it would be easy to think ‘Yes, now I get to do exactly what I want. I don’t have to jump through all of these hoops, going back channel or try to have petty conversations just to take a step forward,” Willett said. “Then on the other hand, it’s a little bit be careful what you wish for. You really have to pay the cost to be the boss. You really have to work so much harder and do so much more and really you have to investigate
your soul so much more.”
That learning process continued on the self-titled album as Willett took the necessary time to live with the songs to identify any flaws and find the right tweaks. He also decided that it’s OK to be firm about an idea and insist on carrying it through to its fruition, something that doesn’t come naturally to Willett.
“I have to not always be apologizing for pushing it further, for knowing what I need and (not worry) because it inconveniences someone or because it totally flips out what somebody this thing was going to be,” Willett said.
“My personality is generally I want to please people and I want things to go well and to have a good time,” Willett said. “I think you don’t really get that when you’re in my position. And I think this record is a lot was me trying to step into some of that, some of the sort of ‘No, I need to set myself up to get it right, not to just have the best time and work with the people I like and have a blast and have a great time. But it’s the music (that matters) at the end of the day. It’s all that remains of that work.”
With the self-titled album released and Willett and his bandmates feeling proud of their work, new songs will be a large presence in the band’s current live shows. Willett appreciates the band’s fans, but he said playing the new songs will help ensure he’s enjoying the show Cold War Kids present each night.
“Always kind of the ambition is to want to lean heavily on the new (songs),” Willett said. “And this one we’re really doing it because the hard part is always really rehearsing them a lot so that you can work as many in, knowing that people don’t want to necessarily hear 12 or however many new songs. But we’re playing a bunch. We’re actually probably playing seven every night off of the new record. I’m really excited about that. I feel like more than ever, I kind of need it for my own sake.”
A new cannabis dispensary is set to take over the site of the former Emily’s Bakery after the Santa Cruz Planning Commission approved the project on March 7. The vote was 5-2 in favor with commissioners Michael Polhamus and John McKelvey voting “no.”
Many Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM) members came out to support Valerie Corral who spoke in favor of The Hook Outlet, the dispensary that will take-over supplying WAMM members. The Hook hopes to provide medical marijuana to 200 WAMM members at this location, according to co-founder of The Hook, Bryce Berryessa.
The Santa Cruz City School District voiced its opposition to the dispensary with a case that boiled down to the site’s proximity to Santa Cruz High. Superintendent Kristin Munro, Santa Cruz High Principal Michelle Poirier and Mission Hill Principal Derek Kendall spoke out against the permit. They requested that the Commission move the zoning-requirement from 600 feet to 2000 feet away from schools.
The dispensary is only 850 feet away from Santa Cruz High. Zoning code currently requires a buffer of 600 feet.
Poirier said that marijuana had become a huge issue at the school. Drug violations were up 50% in 2022-23 and students told her that it is easy to get a scannable fake-ID.
“A student can very quickly conduct a business negotiation, quickly obtain [weed], and make it back to campus very quickly without it needing to become an alarm because they are late to their third period class,” said Poirier.
The dispensary had offered to only sell to 19-year-olds and up, but Poirier said that fake-IDs make that regulation obsolete. Medical dispensaries can sell to people aged 18 and up, while others are restricted to 21 and over.
Many parents and staff of Santa Cruz City Schools said having a dispensary on such a prominent corner would amount to “exposure marketing.”
But the school’s arguments failed to persuade the Commission.
‘I am also unconvinced by arguments against this site’
–Julie Conway
“I am also unconvinced by arguments against this site. [The argument being] ‘exposure normalizes.’ I think it is too late for that,” said Chair Julie Conway. “There are a lot of reasons to be concerned about kids with cannabis but nothing I’ve heard leads me to believe that this location will exacerbate or lead to more kids getting their hands on cannabis.”
Pro-dispensary advocates say that there is a huge black market of cannabis. Members of the weed-consuming community joked that children could never afford dispensary prices.
Per a 2017 Santa Cruz City ordinance, there are only five dispensaries allowed in Santa Cruz City. Each dispensary cannot be within 600 feet of schools or parks, leaving only a few areas where they can legally open, according to city staff.
There are dispensaries in the Harvey West area, on Fair Street, and along Ocean Street, making a few blocks along Mission Street one of the few remaining areas zoned for dispensaries not already occupied by a cannabis-store, according to Berryessa.
Commissioner Polhamus, who teaches at Santa Cruz High, said he was concerned about the potency of the weed and the location of the store because of its effects on learning. He proposed an amendment to the approval that would ban cannabis products with over 40% THC at the dispensary.
It was not added to the approval.
Instead the Commissioners agreed that the city has a well-thought-out zoning ordinance and to change it now would be unfair to the applicant.
“I see how much moving around they [the students] do on their electric bikes. The notion that to go to 1200 feet would change anything is crazy. They can go anywhere they want to go very fast. And there are lots of them,” said Commissioner Matthew Thompson.
Berryessa, who lives in the neighborhood, said that he is a parent of kids at Mission Hill Middle School and he understands parent’s concerns.
“I do not fault you for being here because we are parents doing what we can, to do the best for our kids,” said Berryessa.
Berryessa said that he expects there to be an appeal to the Santa Cruz City Council.
When Vanessa Quiroz-Carter and Maria Orozco were sworn in late last year as Watsonville’s Mayor and Vice-Mayor, it was only the second time in the city’s history two women have held the roles.
The first was in 2019, when Rebecca Garcia and Trina Coffman-Gomez sat in the seats.
In fact, women being placed into high office is a relatively recent development in Watsonville, with Ann Soldo becoming the city’s first female mayor in 1983, more than 100 years after Watsonville was incorporated.
For International Women’s Month, Good Times sat down with Quiroz-Carter and Orozco to talk about their roles, and the importance of having women leaders.
In decades past it would have been unthinkable for women to hold leadership roles, and vestiges of that outdated thinking still remain in some places.
Quiroz-Carter says that both her youth, and the fact that she is Latina surprises some people. But others, she says, draw inspiration from it.
“People tell me that it gives them hope for the future,” she says. “That they can see their daughters or their sisters or their wives, people that they know being in positions of power.”
Orozco agrees.
“When we look at historically the City of Watsonville, it’s rare when you’ve seen two women of color representing the city,” she says. “And when you see it it’s shocking, but it’s also very powerful.”
Orozco says she always keeps in mind that she is serving as a role model.
“So there is a burden we carry,” she says. “That responsibility in making sure we are representing our community in the best possible way.”
Quiroz-Carter says she still sees traces of a patriarchal system.
“I’ve definitely been in meetings where I’m overlooked,” she says. “They will bypass me to shake the hand of the man.”
This thinking changes, she says, with more women getting elected and appointed.
“That’s why it’s important for people to see more women leaders,” she says.
Both Quiroz-Carter and Orozco agree that women generally have different leadership styles than their male counterparts.
“We’re logical, we have strong leadership skills,” Orozco says. “But we also have that humanity in the way we lead. And I think that we’re willing to even change our minds sometimes when we sit down in conversation with people who may not agree with us.”
Quiroz-Carter adds, “And women are collaborative.”
But these differences can be both a detriment and a benefit, Quiroz-Carter says.
“Sometimes those leadership styles aren’t—because they’re not within this masculine frame—it’s not taken as seriously,” she says. “So I feel like as a woman you have to sometimes work so much harder to fit into someone’s idea of what a leader is, even if you don’t fit that mold.”
At the same time, both say that they have had many male mentors. Orozco says she has learned to weather the slings and arrows that come with her position.
“One thing I appreciate from the male perspective is that ability to teach you to have a tough skin,” she says. “And to look past being ignored at times and just keep paving the way.”
Quiroz-Carter says that her success comes despite being raised in a patriarchal family where the men come first and women are expected to get married and have children.
“I always felt I was in the shadows of my male cousins, because they were the ones that were expected to be the leaders,” she says.
Orozco came from a similar background. She describes herself as the, “trouble-maker of the family.”
“I had to push the agenda, and I think that’s where my leadership comes in. I’m not going to take no for an answer just because you say no,” she says. “I’m going to open doors for myself. And I want you to listen to me. I want you to see me, because I have something to say. And I think that’s beautiful.”
When asked for her advice for young girls who are learning to make their way in the world, Quiroz-Carter said they should, “open your own doors. Make your own opportunity.”
“That’s really what you have to do,” she says. “And trust what you’re good at and continue doing it.”
Also, she adds, “Failure is part of success.”
“You have to fail in order to succeed,” she says. “You have to try things. You have to go where other people have not gone before, even if it’s scary.
Orozco adds, “get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because that’s when you know you’re growing.”
“In any decision you have to make, and any opportunity you take, make sure you hold your integrity tight, and keep your values intact,” she says. I don’t think you should ever have the need to negotiate your values.”
The Live Oak School District Board (LOSD) approved laying off at least 16 workers Fiscal Stabilization Plan with contentious layoffs needed to save the District from insolvency on March 6.
If the state does not certify the plan, the District could still end up insolvent.
The layoffs approved with the stabilization plan are a school psychologist, an administrative secretary, four family liaisons, four reading and math aides, seven elementary school teachers, among other positions.
The total savings of the budget will amount to $6 million over the next two school years. Next year the plan proposes $2.3 million in personnel-savings alone.
The Green Acres Principal was saved after Board Member Paul Garcia brought forward an adapted Plan A, which cut half-time financial analyst and education services positions in the District office instead.
Teachers and parents still told the Board that the plans weren’t doing enough to save the teachers.
“When we talk about percentages we should be looking at a percentage of the total budget with the children versus in an office,” said Ocean Alternative teacher Deb Bell.
Another parent expressed frustration about how the Board can’t answer questions because of the Brown Act.
“Then get the state law changed,” said Ray.
Then life lab instructor Emily Claridge came up.
Claridge told the Board it was “unethical and pathetic” to approve the cuts. Ray responded, “I resign.” He stormed out.
Before re-entering the building to applause from teachers and parents later in the meeting, Ray said, “I am not resigning, at least not right now.”
Claridge later apologized to Ray.
Board Member Felicita Rasul reminded the audience that she serves on the Board as public service. No one else wanted the job when she was appointed in 2021. She joined the Board to help everyone have the great experience she had in the District as a parent.
“A lot of things that were mentioned in the vote of no confidence we are discussing and looking at but it is a personnel issue. It is personal,” said Rasul. “I hope that you can trust that we are all decent and kind people that are just trying to take care of the business of this District.”
After Ray’s return, Pomrantz of LOETA thanked the Board and she agreed to work together.
Ray said they must decide in the next several months if Green Acres Elementary will close before they spend the funds for the $44 million facility bond measure, which leads in the early election results.
The saga will continue at least into June when the LOSD Board will approve a final budget for 2024-25.
There is now a petition on change.org titled, “The Children of Live Oak Deserve a Quality Education,” which calls on the Santa Cruz County Board of Education to investigate Dr. Morales. It has 613 signatures as of March 8.
Board Member Felicita Rasul says that the issue of Dr. Morales’ employment will come up at the next meeting in closed-session. The Board is currently working on how best to report what they discuss, according to Rasul.
Nick Ibarra, Director of Communications for the Santa Cruz Office of Education, said in an email: “Our office’s role is currently limited to this ongoing fiscal review and support process. COE’s provide oversight to districts only under very specific circumstances, as outlined in state ed. code, which generally relates to finance and appeals of certain board decisions.”
Scammers have been taking advantage of PG&E customers in the last year and are continuing to do so into 2024. Santa Cruz County residents are some of the most victimized by the culprits, according to a release by the public utility.
Customers were fleeced for nearly $900,000 in 2023 alone, with 43,000 cases reported to PG&E from throughout the state.The scammers impersonated PG&E employees and processed fraudulent payments. The average victim was robbed of $785.
Santa Cruz residents were the second-most swindled group with 192 reported scams in 2023. Watsonville residents reported 75 incidents. PG&E said that this was an all-time high for scams. However, many go unreported.
The frauds have continued in high numbers into 2024, with customers reporting over 2,500 attempts in the month of January, and the scammers made off with $67,000 from customer payments.
The scammers are employing sophisticated techniques, including creating authentic-looking 800 numbers which appear on a phone’s display screen.
PG&E is now partnering with the Federal Trade Commission to curb fraud attempts.
Matt Foley, scam investigator for PG&E, said any threats of immediate disruption of service are a red flag.
“Scammers will attempt to create a sense of urgency by threatening immediate disconnection of your utility services if you don’t make immediate payment,” Foley said.
He stressed that anyone asking for financial information over the phone, or asking for payment via prepaid debit cards or money transfer services like Zelle is not a PG&E representative.
Fraudsters will often look for times when customers may be distracted or stressed and are constantly contacting utility customers asking for immediate payment to avoid service disconnection. They also target vulnerable populations like seniors and low-income households.
Here are signs of a potential scam:
Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively demand immediate payment for an alleged past due bill.
Request for immediate payment: Scammers may instruct the customer to purchase a prepaid card then call them back supposedly to make a bill payment.
Request for prepaid card: When the customer calls back, the caller asks the customer for the prepaid card’s number, which grants the scammer instant access to the card’s funds.
Refund or rebate offers: Scammers may say that your utility company overbilled you and owes you a refund, or that you are entitled to a rebate.
If you think you are being scammed, contact PG&E at 1-833-500-SCAM. The Federal Trade Commission’s website is also a good source of information about how to protect personal information. If customers ever feel that they are in physical danger, they should call 911.
Yes, I know it’s a centuries-old American (USA) tradition but ‘pizza pie’ is redundant because pizza means pie in Italian. Looking forward to your next order of a cappuccino coffee with steamed milk.
David Bolam
SPEND LOCALLY
I just had Sunpower put solar panels on the roof of my home. so glad i did. PGE needs to be broken up and brought under control. the PUC is simply a hand puppet of PGE.
I am now returning to our Capitola Macys again. i do not want to see it go under. before my former partner had his massive stroke, he worked in Macys in women’s shoes. He enjoyed the job.
While I appreciate Amazon, I do not need to give Bezos another yacht. So, Brad, THIS ELECTED official is NOT in favor of closing Macys, Kohls or Target. By the way, they bring taxes, jobs and income to our community college. Remember that next time you order from Amazon. That money goes to Bezos, not your community.
Steve Trujiillo
WEED STORE IS LEGAL
If the dispensary is following our ordinance as approved by voters, then this appears to be a witch hunt and a misuse of limited authority by this Superintendent. 🤔
It’s amazing that after years of legalization, we are wasting any public resources or the planning commission’s time on a zoning law that has been in place since 2010. If the Superintendent wants to change the ordinance, then she needs to use the same channels as every other citizen and put up a ballot initiative to make her desired changes.
She should have zero authority to direct our city staff, or planning commission to stop a business from opening when city staff is quoted saying this business “meets all the objective standards laid out in the City Zoning Code.”
This is actually going to a commission vote tomorrow? How about we fill some of our pot holes instead of wasting city resources like this.
CoreyJK
NOT NEAR A SCHOOL
I cannot personally attend the meeting, but would if I could. I am in 100% agreement that all permits should be denied because of its proximity to the high school and then some.
The last thing Santa Cruz needs is another dispensary. Teenagers and young adults are experiencing the devastating results that cannabis use has on their mental health. Our community is taking the brunt of having to pay enormous tax dollars to support the cost of hospitalization and ongoing care of those suffering the effects of inhaling and ingesting higher and higher levels of THC. Doctors are diagnosing case after case of the correlation between cannabis with high THC levels and psychosis.
If we only knew of the mental horrors cannabis has on developing brains, it never would have become legal. If there is any group trying to get this legalization banned, please let me know. The old propaganda of no harm, no addiction, it’s medicinal, etc needs a second look.
I will never advise you to dim the flame of your ambition or be shy about radiating your enthusiasm. For the next few weeks, though, I urge you to find ways to add sap, juice, and nectar to your fiery energy. See if you can be less like a furnace and more like a sauna; less like a rumbling volcano and more like a tropical river. Practically speaking, this might mean being blithely tender and unpredictably heartful as you emanate your dazzling glow.
TAURUSApril 20-May 20
Some spiritual traditions tell us that the path to enlightenment and awakening is excruciatingly difficult. One teaching compares it to crossing a bridge that’s sharper than a sword, thinner than a hair, and hotter than fire. Ideas like these have no place in my personal philosophy. I believe enlightenment and awakening are available to anyone who conscientiously practices kindness and compassion. A seeker who consistently asks, “What is the most loving thing I can do?” will be rewarded with life-enhancing transformations. Now I invite you to do what I just did, Taurus. That is, re-evaluate a task or process that everyone (maybe even you) assumes is hard and complicated. Perform whatever tweaks are necessary to understand it as fun, natural, and engaging.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
Do you have a relative your parents never told you about? If so, you may find out about them soon. Do you have a secret you want to keep secret? If so, take extra caution to ensure it stays hidden. Is there a person you have had a covert crush on for a while? If so, they may discover your true feelings any minute now. Have you ever wondered if any secrets are being concealed from you? If so, probe gently for their revelation, and they just may leak out. Is there a lost treasure you have almost given up on finding? If so, revive your hopes.
CANCER June 21-July 22
Cancerian poet Pablo Neruda wrote this to a lover: “I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.” That sounds very romantic. What does it mean? Well, the arrival of spring brings warmer soil and air, longer hours of sunlight, and nurturing precipitation. The flowers of some cherry trees respond by blooming with explosive vigor. Some trees sprout upwards of 4,000 blossoms. Maybe Neruda was exaggerating for poetic effect, but if he truly wanted to rouse his lover to be like a burgeoning cherry tree, he’d have to deal with an overwhelming outpouring of lush beauty and rampant fertility. Could he have handled it? If I’m reading the upcoming astrological omens correctly, you Cancerians now have the power to inspire and welcome such lavishness. And yes, you can definitely handle it.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
Speaking on behalf of all non-Leos, I want to express our gratitude for the experiments you have been conducting. Your willingness to dig further than ever before into the mysterious depths is exciting. Please don’t be glum just because the results are still inconclusive and you feel a bit vulnerable. I’m confident you will ultimately generate fascinating outcomes that are valuable to us as well as you. Here’s a helpful tip: Give yourself permission to be even more daring and curious. Dig even deeper.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
Unexpected mixtures are desirable, though they may initially feel odd. Unplanned and unheralded alliances will be lucky wild cards if you are willing to set aside your expectations. Best of all, I believe you will be extra adept at creating new forms of synergy and symbiosis, even as you enhance existing forms. Please capitalize on these marvelous openings, dear Virgo. Are there parts of your life that have been divided, and you would like to harmonize them? Now is a good time to try. Bridge-building will be your specialty for the foreseeable future.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Many of you Libras have a special talent for tuning into the needs and moods of other people. This potentially gives you the power to massage situations to serve the good of all. Are you using that power to its fullest? Could you do anything more to harness it? Here’s a related issue: Your talent for tuning into the needs and moods of others can give you the capacity to massage situations in service to your personal aims. Are you using that capacity to its fullest? Could you do anything more to harness it? Here’s one more variation on the theme: How adept are you at coordinating your service to the general good and your service to your personal aims? Can you do anything to enhance this skill? Now is an excellent time to try.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Psychologist Carl Jung said, “One of the most difficult tasks people can perform is the invention of good games. And this cannot be done by people out of touch with their instinctive selves.” According to my astrological assessment, you will thrive in the coming weeks when you are playing good, interesting games. If you dream them up and instigate them yourself, so much the better. And what exactly do I mean by “games”? I’m referring to any organized form of play that rouses fun, entertainment, and education. Playing should be one of your prime modes, Scorpio! As Jung notes, that will happen best if you are in close touch with your instinctual self—also known as your animal intelligence.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
Can Sagittarians ever really find a home they are utterly satisfied with? Are they ever at peace with exactly who they are and content to be exactly where they are? Some astrologers suggest these are difficult luxuries for you Centaurs to accomplish. But I think differently. In my view, it’s your birthright to create sanctuaries for yourself that incorporate so much variety and expansiveness that you can feel like an adventurous explorer without necessarily having to wander all over the earth. Now is an excellent time to work on this noble project.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
You picked Door #2 a while back. Was that the best choice? I’m not sure. Evidence is still ambiguous. As we await more conclusive information, I want you to know that Door #1 and Door #3 will soon be available for your consideration again. The fun fact is that you can try either of those doors without abandoning your activities in the area where Door #2 has led you. But it’s important to note that you can’t try *both* Door #1 and Door #3. You must choose one or the other. Proceed with care and nuance, Capricorn, but not with excessive caution. Your passwords are *daring sensitivity* and “discerning audacity.”
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
My second cousin has the same name as me and lives in Kosice, Slovakia. He’s a Slovakian-speaking chemical engineer who attended the Slovak University of Technology. Do we have anything in common besides our DNA and names? Well, we both love to tell stories. He and I are both big fans of the band Rising Appalachia. We have the same mischievous brand of humor. He has designed equipment and processes to manufacture products that use chemicals in creative ways, and I design oracles to arouse inspirations that change people’s brain chemistry. Now I invite you, Aquarius, to celebrate allies with whom you share key qualities despite being quite different. It’s a fine time to get maximum enjoyment and value from your connections with such people.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
My Piscean friend Jeff Greenwald wrote the humorous but serious book *Shopping for Buddhas*. It’s the story of his adventures in Nepal as he traveled in quest of a statue to serve as a potent symbol for his spiritual yearning. I’m reminded of his search as I ruminate on your near future. I suspect you would benefit from an intense search for divine inspiration—either in the form of an iconic object, a pilgrimage to a holy sanctuary, or an inner journey to the source of your truth and love.
Those seeking more spontaneous and refreshing music will find it in the Jennifer Hartswick Band. Jennifer Hartswick is a trumpeter and vocalist who shows passion through spontaneity and collaboration onstage. She brings on other musicians and works with them to combine her musical spirit with theirs. Each show fills the room with joy as she seamlessly switches between playing her trumpet and singing—a truly impressive feat. The music ranges from smooth jazz and rock to emotionally laden vocal solos and celebrates various musical traditions. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
Those having a lousy day, needing a little extra love or looking for that perfect soundtrack to fall in love with need look no further because Love, Dean is coming to Boulder Creek. Husband and wife duo Rachael and Luke Price are a newer neo-soul act bringing the good vibes wherever they go. As fate would have it, the two met on their first day at Berklee College of Music and never looked back. Their self-titled 2021 debut mixes blues, gospel and Motown for a vibrant collection of tracks that touch on the essence of love, community and being a human with complicated emotions, good and bad. MAT WEIR
Between the San Andreas Fault, volcanic eruptions and powerful swells, Santa Cruz is a wild smorgasbord of geological phenomena. Local naturalist, historian and writer Frank Perry has been exploring the region on land and at sea for decades; one could say it has all been preparation for the publication of his book, Geology of the Northern Monterey Bay Region: Rocks, Fossils, and Cultural Connections. With a style informed by his many years designing natural science exhibits for museums and parks, Perry makes the complex dynamism of this patch of the planet accessible to general audiences. ADDIE MAHMASSANI
INFO: 6:30pm, Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, 1305 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz. $15. 420-6115.
JAZZ
Caleb Dillon Murray PHOTO: Iran Ramirez
CALEB DILLON-MURRAY
An album release party is in the works for modern jazz saxophonist-composer-educator Caleb Dillon-Murray, considered one of the top saxophonists in the Bay Area. The new album is called The Place to Be. A University of South Florida graduate with a master’s in jazz composition, Dillon-Murray has played in several international venues and festivals, including the Umbria Jazz Fest, Wigan Jazz Fest and Vienne Jazz Fest. His quintet also features guitarist Kai Lyons, bassist Giulio Cetto, pianist Javier Santiago and drummer Thomas Pridgen. DAN EMERSON
INFO: 7:30pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $40. 427-2227.
SATURDAY
COUNTRY
LYNN CROSSETT
Hailing from the music hotbed of Austin, Texas, singer-songwriter Lynn Crossett scored a spot on the Top 10 Americana Country Album Chart with his 2023 release, In the Company of a Song. Crossett frequently brings his road show to venues in southern and central California. Two of his songs, “California Ride” and “Child Support Trips,” were nominated for 2024 Grammy awards in Best Americana Performance, Best American Roots Performance, and Best American Roots Song. He’s planning his next album for 2025, which Grammy award-winning producer Lloyd Maines will produce. Those aren’t the only impressive facts in his bio; Crossett is also a full-time law professor at Texas State University in San Marcos. DE
INFO: 5:30pm, Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave., Suite A, Soquel. Free. 316-0662.
INDIE
CAT POWER
Bob Dylan’s Live 1966 (The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert)is one of those albums that spans generations. Not everyone who loves it was alive for the scandal of his “going electric,” but anyone who listens will certainly be moved by tracks like “Just Like a Woman” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” Chan Marshall, aka indie darling Cat Power, feels such a connection to it that she recorded a version of the album, which she will perform in full at the Rio this Saturday. If anyone has the range to span Dylan’s songbook, it’s Cat Power, whose voice is ruggedly beautiful and dripping with pathos. JESSICA IRISH
INFO: 8pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $68.25. 423-1854.
AUTHOR EVENT
TESSA HULLS
Tessa Hulls’ graphic novel Feeding Ghosts is a multigenerational examination of the ghosts that linger within relationships, particularly between mother, daughter and granddaughter. Grandparents with opaque, trauma-filled pasts can seem unknowable, but Hulls uses the graphic novel form to explore—and ultimately, better understand—her own matrilineal line. Hulls’ grandmother was a Chinese journalist in Shanghai during the rise of Communism, and Feeding Ghosts confronts the legacy of all that she endured and what that endurance cost her family. The graphic novel form is particularly well-suited to telling this story; where family ties are indescribable, visual art takes the reins. JI
INFO: 3pm, Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. Free. 429-1964.
SUNDAY
ROCK
ALEX LUCERO BAND
Who’s feeling lucky this Saint Patrick’s Day? Local legend Alex Lucero is going full leprechaun for El Vaquero Winery, bringing his band and the Minertones from Donegal, Ireland. This mixture of musicians might create a whole new genre: soul-meets-funk-meets-Irish! (Or maybe that’s just a description of Van Morrison!?) Whatever the case, Lucero knows how to make a venue festive. El Vaq will have fish and chips, shepherd’s pie and, of course, great wine to go along with the shanties and jigs. Reservations required! AM
When junior high friends Lucas Hughes and Lincoln Kreifels first formed Wild Party in 2009, they had no idea they would be touring the UK with Liverpool indie rockers the Wombats a year later. In a gust of “too much, too soon,” the duo took a hiatus after that tour, only to reform in 2012 with brother Jake on drums and Ethan Kaufmann on bass. Newly armed, Wild Party returned with their debut album, Phantom Pop, a collection of upbeat, indie rock tracks lovingly referred to as “face-melting pop music.” They’ve had a line-up change and dropped an EP recently, targeting Weezer and Bright Eyes fans or anyone who enjoys putting a positive spin on an ironic day. MW
INFO: 8pm, The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $18/adv, $22/door. 713-5492.
My grandmother always said not to diet, what good could come of a word where the first three letters are d i e?
The “die” in diet—or historically low success rate—does not stop more than half of Americans from attempting to change the way they eat. We love a good diet, and these days with good reason. The American health-scape is in crisis and improving our eating habits is a sound response. But our reasons for eating extend far beyond weight loss.
Dietary choices revolve around factors like affordability, flavor and perceived health advantages. Once established, these habits can be difficult to alter. Moreover, navigating the steady stream of seemingly conflicting diet news poses a significant challenge, making it hard to know what truly constitutes a healthy diet.
HOW THE ACT OF EATING HAS TURNED CONTROVERSIAL
In 2021, docuseries producer Louie Psihoyos decided to address the modern nutrition conundrum from a fresh angle. He wanted to study the effects of a plant-based diet on identical twins by assigning one to eat vegan while the other stayed omnivore. In an effort to make this experiment as legitimate as possible, he reached out to Stanford Medical School to help design the study.
Intrigued by the idea of working with twins as a way to minimize variables like age and genetic factors, Stanford study senior author Christopher Gardner, Ph.D. explains “Louie didn’t know how this could/should be done. We brainstormed some ideas and when it became clear that we could likely form a productive collaboration and conduct a legitimate research study, we moved forward.”
Contrasting these two dietary approaches may seem random, yet vegetarianism in its multiple versions has gained considerable attention in recent years. While vegetarians avoid meat and seafood, vegans eschew all animal products. Meanwhile, omnivores embrace a diet that encompasses the widest range of food categories, most closely resembling the standard American diet.
According to a 2023 study, public interest in dietary habits is growing in time with the obesity epidemic and related disease rates. In this sea of confusion, one thing is clear: the omnivore approach as we know it isn’t working.
Dr. Gardner, along with co-authors Matthew Landry, Ph.D., and Catherine Ward, Ph.D., collaborated to design the study they called “Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs. Vegan Diets in Identical Twins.” It was conducted from May through June 2022, during which time 22 sets of identical twins were randomly split into groups that would determine their food choices for the next eight weeks.
While both eating plans were as comparable as possible calorically and nutritionally, the omnivore diet was most similar to participant pre-study eating habits. Both were rich in vegetables and whole grains, but one group included a moderate amount of meat while the other followed a strict plant-based regimen.
Even though the food was flavor-optimized (no one was force-fed tofu), it’s a big deal to overhaul your normal eating habits for two months with no meat, no dairy and no exceptions. If you watched the docuseries, you may remember the range of emotions both before and during the big reveal, during which twins were randomly assigned to their groups.
Beforehand some participants were curious, some were “fine with going vegan,” while others waited in what was hopefully mock terror to open the slip of paper assigning their group.
One participant, Aleksandra Shai Chai, told the Washington Post that she needed a moment to process the idea that she would be stuck eating a vegan diet for eight weeks. She hoped hers would say “omnivore.”
Instead, it said “vegan.” Her twin sister, Mariya Foster, would eat a diet of meat and vegetables, while Shai Chai replaced her favorite foods—bacon, sushi and steak—with tofu, beans and vegetables.
During the initial four weeks, both groups received pre-made meals and dietary guidelines, which transitioned to self-cooked meals for the subsequent four weeks. Throughout the study, a registered dietitian was available for guidance.
The results are significant. After the eight-week period, participants adhering to the vegan diet exhibited lower insulin levels, reduced weight and diminished lipoprotein cholesterol levels, associated with cardiovascular risks.
“The findings suggest that a healthy plant-based diet confers significant cardiometabolic benefits compared to a healthy omnivorous diet,” the researchers concluded.
While Aleksandra Shai Chai says she didn’t love the diet, upon learning the study’s results she felt thankful that she had briefly changed her eating habits.
Excited about the global exposure the documentary provided, Landry plans to focus on identifying the best diets for chronic disease prevention, with an emphasis on promoting the holistic benefits of plant-based diets on overall well-being and health.
AMERICAN FRIES You can replace potatoes with all kinds of veggies. PHOTO File
Problem solved?
Behavioral psychologists will confirm knowing what to do has little effect on lasting habit change. What looks good on paper seldom evolves into real-life practice long term. For many people, the idea of giving up meat feels like losing a slice of Americana. Can you imagine life without barbecue?
Or without sushi. Shai Chai reported that after four weeks of a vegan diet, she had more energy and slept better. Still, she missed her favorite foods. While some participants continued to follow a vegan diet after the study concluded in July 2022, Shai Chai said she immediately started eating sushi again—which she said tasted better than ever.
But she hasn’t completely reverted to her pre-vegan days. She says she is more mindful of eating healthily and has developed new meal ideas.
Short of a health goal or diagnosis, changing lifelong eating habits usually takes an aha moment, and that’s where the study authors really got it right. The docuseries portrayed a diverse group of people, which increases relatability among the audience. And the changes were both challenging and revealing.
This opportunity to get a close-up look at such a personal process gave viewers a better understanding of what to expect, and more importantly, what transitioning to plant-based eating entails.
Twins Study Backlash
In the complicated world of nutrition, not all experts are on the same page. There is vast and fervent disagreement about what constitutes a healthy diet. So naturally, there has been some backlash against the Stanford study, including by Oprah-level nutrition experts like Drs. Mark Hyman and Peter Attia.
Dr. Attia, an omnivore advocate and longevity expert went straight for the jugular with his recent article, “A study comparing the effects of vegan and omnivorous diets fails Science 101.”In it, he accuses the authors of promoting plant-based diets as the solution to all of the health woes of modern society, yet in doing so commits a “categorical failure to isolate and test a specific independent variable–which, as emphasized in any sixth-grade science class, is perhaps the most basic requirement for hypothesis testing.”
He maintains that the study didn’t continue for long enough to reveal whether the vegan dieters would stick to their new eating habits, especially since their self-reported enjoyment of the food ranked lower than the omnivore twins.
Dr. Hyman, although not vegan, is known as a plant-based food advocate. Yet, he criticizes the absence of important body composition markers, which he says were not reported in the study.
In a recent podcast, The Doctor’s Farmacy,, Why the Vegan Twin Study Got it Wrong, he claims that “somehow the authors didn’t seem inclined to want to publish” some of the most important findings of the study because they contradicted their point of view.
These contractions are surprising to no one who follows nutrition news. US News and World Report conducts an annual survey of popular diets—30 in all—each with its own unique menus and guidelines.
Some critics of the twin study assume the authors had a hidden agenda. The researchers are accused of not telling the whole story, “cherry picking” the facts.
Good Times caught up with lead researcher Christopher Gardner to ask his response to criticisms from influencers like Mark Hyman and Peter Attia who question the study methodology. “We are disappointed that these two critics didn’t reach out to us to discuss their criticisms before publishing them,” Gardner responded.
“The majority can be easily addressed. It is unfortunate that their approach contributed to, and perpetuates, what seems like a lack of consensus and controversy on nutrition topics. I find that once most of these issues are put in the proper context and discussed openly, there is far more consensus than controversy.”
Stanford Research Participants and Dr. Garne
Are the criticisms misdirected?
Dr. Attia and others have criticized the Stanford twin study for the eight-week timeline, which may be too short to assess long term adherence. His article says it takes more than eight weeks to adapt to the new diet pattern—“acquire new tastes, learn new recipes, and so on.”
“The cost of the study would skyrocket if you kept following each study participant for months or years to find out how long they maintained the diet change,” said Gardner. “For LDL-cholesterol and most of the cardiometabolic risk factors we measured, eight weeks was more than enough.”
The study was designed to answer a specific set of questions rather than addressing every facet of the dietary concern—i.e. weight loss, blood glucose levels, permanent behavior modifications.
“A study duration needs to be of sufficient duration to see a change in the primary study outcomes,” said Gardner. “The primary outcome (as indicated in advance and registered on ClinicalTrials.Gov) was LDL-cholesterol.
“When someone changes from one stable diet pattern to another stable diet pattern, changes in blood cholesterol maximize and then restabilize after about two weeks. Further change is negligible after those two weeks,” continued Gardner. “The same can be said for blood pressure and glucose. For LDL-cholesterol, and most of the cardiometabolic risk factors we measured, eight weeks was MORE than enough.”
Which leads us back to the number one goal for most dietary changes: What about weight loss?
To this point, the researcher advises weight loss to be much longer—six months minimum but preferably a year or more. Weight loss is typically rapid for about three months, then tapers off until six months, and then typically restabilizes. Or for some people this is the start of weight regain.
Carnivorous critics of “You Are What You Eat” have dismissed it as vegan propaganda. Others point out that the study received partial funding from Kyle Vogt, a vegan tech entrepreneur and executive director of the Netflix series.
However, these funding sources don’t undermine the study’s scientific integrity. According to Walter Willett, a professor at Harvard’s school of public health, the study was well-conducted, with both vegan and omnivore diets being notably healthy.
“There is no body of evidence that conflicts with the finding that a healthy plant-based, vegan diet as implemented in this study, is better than a typical omnivore diet,” Willett said.
Clearly there’s more to a vegan lifestyle than eight weeks without meat. And more than one reason to swing vegan.
Shifting toward sustainability
In the Netflix series, vegan advocates passionately highlight the adverse environmental impacts of meat and dairy production, including climate change, deforestation and animal abuse. While this has been labeled vegan propaganda by some, these claims are sadly spot on.
Meat, especially beef, is by far the food sector’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, and no solution to these emissions exists that would offer significant reductions—except scaling down meat production.
The impacts of animal products on the environment markedly exceed those of plant-based alternatives; 83% of the world’s farmland is used for meat, aquaculture, eggs and dairy use, contributing to 58% of food emissions, despite only providing 37% of our protein and 18% of our calories, according to a 2018 study in Science magazine.
Convincing Americans to reduce their meat intake is challenging, especially with decades of government policies favoring meat and dairy industries. Biological and technology “advances” to increase growth and production have lowered production costs to keep animal products cheap and plentiful.
On average, Americans consume approximately 220 pounds of meat, 280 eggs and 660 pounds of dairy annually, surpassing other countries. Americans eat 40% more meat and 80% fewer vegetables than a healthy diet requires, according to MedicalNewsToday.com.
Even though 25% of people surveyed say they want to cut back, per capita consumption continues to rise. Why are people eating against their own best interests? One concern regularly expressed is about getting enough protein.
The beef industry suggests we need meat for protein because plants just can’t cut it. Vegan elite athletes like Venus Williams and Rich Roll beg to differ.
Dr. Attia writes in his twins study critique: “It seems that every few years, a new documentary promotes plant-based diets as the solution to all of the health woes of modern society, and recently, another has been added to the list.”
While “solution to all the health woes” may be an overstatement, a plant-based diet does address a number of health woes, and many environmental woes as well. With such a vast disparity between meat-industry influence and vegan benefit awareness, a new documentary every few years seems hardly enough.
Adherence
Most people struggle to stick to diets, including vegetarian and vegan diets. For example, only one of the people in the vegan cohort decided to stay vegan after the completion of the study.
However, going vegan for two months did have a positive effect on most of the participants assigned to the vegan diet—all but one said they planned to eat more plant-based foods than they had prior to the study. For those looking to improve their health—and shrink their carbon footprint—by eating more plant-based meals, it may make sense to shift away from meat and dairy in stages.
“Each step in the direction of a healthy plant-based diet will have benefits for personal and planetary health,” said Willett. “One doesn’t need to be a strict vegan to have major benefits.” But if you’re going to eat less meat and dairy, it’s important to prioritize healthy plant-based protein sources like nuts, soy foods, grains, beans and other legumes, Willett said.
Other barriers on the path to veganism are a perceived lack of convenience of meatless meals, lack of familiarity, and a negative perception and expectation towards the taste of plant-based meals, according to studies. But at the same time, there are so many new and delicious plant-based foods coming onto the market in response to growing demand. In other words, as plant-based diets become more mainstream, delicious options are more available, making it easier than ever to go vegan.
Santa Cruz VegFest organizers Camille and Helbard Alkhassadeh have introduced the benefits of the vegan lifestyle to thousands of people through their annual festivals. When asked whether people find it hard to maintain after a lifetime of meat eating, Helbard replied, “When you stop doing it for health reasons, you may miss it, if you do it for value reasons, you’ll never go back.”
To that end, a Stanford press release describes the twin study as step one in a process of expanding beyond the plate into the study of ”behavioral interventions” to assist people and making choices more aligned with health goals.
A separate team of researchers led by the Stanford School of Medicine has honed in on a set of simple food swaps that can make a big difference in environmental impact—without a drastic dietary overhaul. The suggestions include exchanges as easy as replacing beef with chicken in a burrito or selecting plant-based milk over dairy. If universally adopted, such choices would lower the U.S. dietary carbon footprint by more than 35%, the researchers found.
“Many people are concerned about climate change, but sweeping dietary change can be hard,” says the study’s lead author, Anna Grummon, Ph.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics and health policy. “Instead, we’ve identified simple, achievable substitutions—small changes—that can still produce a meaningful impact.” Ultimately, the hard lines, the backlash and the marketing messaging leave most people confused about the most natural act we also get to personalize and enjoy. In the words of Michael Pollan, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Venus Spirits (200 High Road, Santa Cruz) knows how to extend tractor beams to pull flavor astronauts into its orbit.
“Every event invites new faces and allows us to broaden our horizon, as far as new customers,” Head of Marketing Tory Leslie says. “Always changing it up keeps things fun for both guests and us.”
For “St. Pitties Week,” Venus’ Tasting Room creates a “When Pitties Fly” cocktail (March 14-17)—a botanical gin-and-peach punch in a complimentary commemorative glass, for $15—with 100% proceeds going to Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.
Then National Pie Day (March 14) means complimentary coffee with a slice of pie, while guests can get their Easter Sunday pie and quiche pre-orders on.
In sync with International Women’s Month, a special tasting explosion follows with two female-owned guest stars (March 16). Bakes and Boards rolls out baked goods inspired by Venus’ new spring gin and its chamomile, rose and elderflower elements; meanwhile, the curated house goods pros at Rye Home—joining the neighborhood as soon as next month (719 Swift St. Suite 62, Santa Cruz)—offers cute cocktail kits. Plus there’s a distillery tour-tasting led by co-owner Grace Venus, and the official release of the aforementioned spring gin.
Then comes cocktail class (March 20) with professional beverage coach Lindsay Eshleman stirring up lessons on distilling, gin variations and hands-on cocktail making.
That’s all followed by a Disco Brunch (March 23), and a magnetic “Forage & Feast: Venus Goes Vegan” (March 24). For the latter, aerial-yoga/natural foods savant Vega Bluem leads a Pogonip foraging hike and tea-making session, then Chef Daisy Keen crafts a five-course plant-based tasting menu with cocktail pairings. Dishes include sorrel vichyssoise, stinging nettle-tofu ricotta tortelloni, mushroom bourguignon and redwood panna cotta with rose-hip huckleberry gelée. Earthy and yummy. venusspirits.com
STOKE CITY
Last Sunday, the scoreboard the size of a house that hangs in San Francisco’s Chase Center was registering crowd noise, and Santa Cruz responded. The Pono Hawaiian Grill-sponsored “Stoke Meter” hit 100, and the Wave City Warriors—in San Francisco for a special appearance at big brothers’ place—responded with a comeback 112-105 win over fellow playoff contender Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Meanwhile, Pono (120 Union St.and 3744 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz) stays open longer on Santa Cruz game nights with drink deals and its Late Night Grind menu, and ranks among restaurant partners like Poké House, Mad Yolks and Woodstock Pizza. A handful of Sea Dubs home games remain, versus the G League Ignite (March 15, 16) and the South Bay Lakers (March 27), santacruz.gleague.nba.com.
SEASON GREETED
Humble Sea’s Santa Cruz Wharf beer garden (45 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz) is back live, with fresh beers by tap and can, ocean views, merch, plenty of picnic tables and BYO food from surrounding spots like Stagnaro Brothers and Riva Fish House,(humblesea.com)…The first Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival is on the horizon (May 4-5) and will bring together known names in the mushroom community to spread culinary, cultivation, medicinal and scientific spores of knowledge at Roaring Camp (5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton), scmmfest.com…March is Hummingbird Month at UCSC’s Arboretum (Arboretum Road, Santa Cruz), as Anna’s and Allen’s hummingbirds proliferate and docent-led bird walks, talks by professional photographers and a natural history lecture also descend, arboretum.ucsc.edu…A Happy St. Patrick’s day quote to close: “Don’t throw away luck on little stuff,” author Tim O’Brien once said. “Save it up.”
hese days, Nathan Willett values the autonomy he and his band, Cold War Kids, have gained over a career that now stretches 20 years and spans 10 albums.
A new cannabis dispensary is set to take over the site of the former Emily’s Bakery after the Santa Cruz Planning Commission approved the project on March 7. The vote was 5-2 in favor with commissioners Michael Polhamus and John McKelvey voting “no.”
Many Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM) members came out to support Valerie Corral who spoke in...
ARIES March 21-April 19
I will never advise you to dim the flame of your ambition or be shy about radiating your enthusiasm. For the next few weeks, though, I urge you to find ways to add sap, juice, and nectar to your fiery energy. See if you can be less like a furnace and more like a sauna; less...
My grandmother always said not to diet, what good could come of a word where the first three letters are d i e?
The “die” in diet—or historically low success rate—does not stop more than half of Americans from attempting to change the way they eat. We love a good diet, and these days with good reason. The American health-scape...
In sync with International Women’s Month, a special tasting explosion follows with two female-owned guest stars (March 16). Bakes and Boards rolls out baked goods inspired by Venus’ new spring gin
