The Hideout is an Aptos Dining Destination

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The Hideout is an Aptos Dining Destination

Pete Vomvolakis and his business partner, Austin, had been bartenders in the local restaurant scene for over 25 years. Eventually, they wanted to open their own spot with their own vision. Pete says they were sold on the location that would become The Hideout because of its good bones, patio space and existing liquor license. The restaurant, initially a house built in the 1920s, needed a complete remodel before opening in 2015. The Hideout has endured a large fire—they had to close and rebuild again—and the pandemic, but the resilient restaurant reopened in 2021 and has thrived. Vomvolakis describes it as “the Cheers of Aptos.” He says the cuisine is refined comfort food, with big portions and “something for everyone.” One menu standout is the smoked gouda mac-and-cheese; they also have a popular ahi poke tower and Vomvolakis’ favorite: the salmon risotto. As for their burgers, bacon is cooked onto the patty, adding another layer of crunch and juiciness. The homemade bread pudding tops the dessert menu; they also serve Sugar Bakery cheesecake.
Hours are every day from 11:30am-9:30pm. GT picked Vomvolakis’ brain recently about his thoughts on the restaurant. 

What’s your philosophy on hospitality?

PETE VOMVOLAKIS: We sincerely love the community and our customers, and we want to create an environment where they feel comfortable and have a good time. Hospitality is a dying art, but we are doing our best to keep it alive. The new trend in restaurants can feel a little cold, but we are trying to keep it old school and put the customer first. 

Where does your passion for the industry come from?

My grandpa George was an owner of the DeLaveaga Restaurant for 46 years, so I grew up watching him do this. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. His restaurant was also a local gathering spot, and he was the best at making people feel at home. My business partner, Austin, and I are doing our best to have that same kind of vibe here at The Hideout. We’re blessed to serve such a supportive community.

The Hideout, 9051 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 831-688-5566; thehideoutaptos.com.

Apple Grower Freddy Menge Shares a Bushel of Knowledge

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Apple Grower Freddy Menge Shares a Bushel of Knowledge

“It tastes like a really ripe pineapple. You can taste nuances of banana, pear and anise, and it’s so complex, it sucks your attention, like ‘What is that?’”

That’s how local apple grower Freddy Menge describes one of his favorite apple varieties, the suntan. This weekend, Menge will be sharing several varieties of apples he grows as part of the 70 or so varieties at an apple tasting at the Live Oak Grange.

After a two-year hiatus for the event, Menge is excited to once again make unique varieties of apples available for tasting. There will be a string of tables covered in apples, and guests will have a sheet laying out the order of the tasting, and space to make notes and rank favorites. At the end, there will be a board where people can put a gold star next to their top three varieties. 

Menge says he loves seeing the top choices at the end of the tasting. “Everyone posts, and it’s always surprising what the results are,” he says. “It’s amazingly varied how people have different preferences. Typically, all 70 varieties will get at least one vote for somebody’s favorite. For me, that’s mind blowing.” 

One rare variety that catches people’s attention is the apple stardust, “That is just a weird accidental apple found in an abandoned orchard in Aromas, and it’s so good,” he says. “It’s got a Macintosh flavor to it, but it’s got a great crunch and it’s crisp. People freak out when they taste it, and it’s this completely unknown apple. It always scores really high.”

Menge says he has around 45 varieties he will be bringing, and Jim Ryder, an apple breeder and orchardist who he calls his “partner in crime,” will be bringing around 20 major commercial varieties, including Fuji, honey crisp and pink lady. 

Ryder will also be sharing a variety of red fleshed apples he has been breeding. “He’s got this incredible apple breeding operation where he’s planted 50,000 seedlings with the intent of producing a commercially marketable red fleshed apple,” says Menge. “He’s got hundreds of experimental red fleshed apple varieties and he’s gonna kick in 10-15 of the best ones.”

Menge will spend the tasting near a couple of his favorite varieties. “The whole time I’m cutting apples and talking to people,” he says. “I usually center myself around my favorite apples and see how people react to it and talk to them about it. I’ll be next to the Allen’s everlasting and the suntan. I love comments, people come in and tell me the craziest things sometimes. I remember a few years ago at the tasting near the suntan apple—a really strong tasting apple—this elegant woman takes a piece and says ‘Ooh, ooh, ooh I like that one, I kinda like that one, I like an apple that kinda kicks you around a little bit.’ And I thought, ‘Yes, that’s it!’”

Menge enjoys the opportunity to share varieties of apples that can be harder to find, as well as varieties harvested at their prime. “Year-round apples is what it’s all about, and I think the industry wants that because it’s super convenient, but people do not want that,” he says. “People don’t want to acquiesce to having to eat some hockey puck because it’s convenient for the marketers. I’d rather eat the fruit that’s ripe right now, that’s right off the tree.”

Menge says an ideal apple has acidity, astringency, aromatics and sugar. 

“When a really good-flavored apple is green, the sugar is yet to develop, so all you taste is the acidity and the astringency and some of the aromatics, not all of them,” he says. 

“But no one wants to taste an astringent and sour green apple that colors early, and they pick it and they sell it. So they intentionally select these apples that have no acidity and no astringency so you could pick it green and even with low sugar, it tastes okay.”

The apple tasting, hosted by the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 2-5pm at the Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz. $5. mbcrfg.org.

Ride On: Biketober and Bike Month

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Ride On: Biketober and Bike Month

Over the past few years, Biketober and Bike Month participants have logged over 3.7 million miles in Santa Cruz County. This month will push that number even higher, as almost 500 riders have already signed up for the challenge—a month of logging bike rides for chances to win prizes and connect with other cyclists.

Local nonprofit Ecology Action will give away a $1,000 grand prize to an individual winner, $2,000 to a local employer and 20 $100 local bike shop gift cards.

Ecology Action will also team up with local businesses to organize group rides, online workshops and activities throughout the month.

On Oct. 16, Bike Santa Cruz County, Ecology Action and more than 60 local businesses and organizations will host the eighth annual Open Streets Santa Cruz. From 9am to 2pm, they invite the community to a “day of walking, biking and playing in the streets on a day free from car traffic.”

Other events include a group commute ride from the Aptos Cat & Cloud to the Westside New Leaf, a virtual bike commuting safety workshop and the annual Walk and Roll to School Day.Visit ecoact.org/biketober for more information and lovetoride.net/santacruz to sign up. The challenge ends Oct. 31.

Strike Averted for Santa Cruz City Workers

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Strike Averted for Santa Cruz City Workers

A strike that could have slowed or crippled services in the City of Santa Cruz was averted Sunday as the city reached an agreement with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521.  

Under the agreement, workers will get a 12% raise over the next three years, in addition to a one-time $1,1,00 payment, City Manager Matt Huffaker announced in a press release.

The news came two days after the city announced that the Union had rejected an offer for a 12% increase over three years–without the $1,100 payment–and that a strike was imminent. 

SEIU 521 President Ken Bare said Friday that the first offer did not cover the rising cost of living. 

Bare also said that the current pay does not attract new employees—the city is still 48 workers short.

The tentative agreement, he said, will address that shortage and improve city services.

“The City of Santa Cruz will finally be able to hire qualified employees that it needs in order to provide services to the city,” he said.

The city reached similar agreements for 12% increases over three years with four other City employee groups approved by the City Council last week. 

 Negotiations have been ongoing since early this year, Huffaker said.

“We are pleased to be able to structure a compensation package that better meets our employee’s short-term needs while also being respectful of the city’s long-term financial picture,” he said.

Because the strike–expected to begin at 7am Monday–has been called off, city operations will be delivered, as usual, Huffaker added.

New Scotts Valley Theater to Hold Open House

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New Scotts Valley Theater to Hold Open House

Scotts Valley has been moving on up in the retail and restaurant arena. With the opening of the shops at The Hangar, and the brand-new Target replacing K-Mart, the shopping opportunities in town are growing exponentially. Dining has always been plentiful, but the one thing missing was a theater for performing arts. Come Saturday, that will all change.

The City of Scotts Valley Cultural Arts Center will celebrate its grand opening from 1-4pm, with the official ribbon cutting at 1:30pm. Located next to the newly refurbished Scotts Valley Library which reopened on Aug. 22, the 9,000-square-foot theater will be home to exclusive concerts, theatrical performances and community events.

The event will feature light refreshments and live music, courtesy of the Patio Geezers.

Comprised of Charles Abraham on keyboard, Hood Chatham on guitar, Kevin Hasenauer on drums, Gerry Doan on trumpet and special guest Rob Borders on bass, the Patio Geezers are excited to be one of the first groups to perform at the new venue. (Band member Jeff Werner usually plays double bass, but is out of rotation due to an injury.)

Dave Hodgin, treasurer of the Scotts Valley Community Theater Guild and President of the Scotts Valley Senior Life Association in Scotts Valley, has been working on this project for nine years, and is thrilled to finally see it come to life.

In a recorded presentation on YouTube, Hodgin said that the stage is modular, so the configuration can be changed to suit any performance. The bright purple plush seats were a donation to the theater by the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and are mounted on platforms, allowing them to be configured into various seating arrangements to complement the stage. 

“Finally, after some 10 years of effort, the hundreds of volunteers and financial supporters of this new community asset are ready to show off what they have accomplished,” Hodgin states in an email to the Press Banner. “What you will see is what is being called ‘The Temporary.’ It is not the final vision but rather what donations and volunteer effort have been able to accomplish so far—a fully functioning performance space with a 2,000-square-foot stage, 264 plush seats and all the lighting and other tools of the trade that anyone could wish for. I think you will be amazed at what volunteers and generous donors have created.”

Hodgin says that the center will undergo further improvements as funds are available. 

“However, we are all going to be able to enjoy theatrical productions, recitals, educational lectures, musical presentations, even movies on the big screen—not sometime in the future but starting now,” he writes.

The Scotts Valley Theater Guild has been developing the performance arts space since March 2020 when it signed an initial lease with the city. The Guild says it’s invested $150,000 in upgrades, but it was eagerly awaiting the $95,000 the city had promised to chip in. The city council had been holding out while the Guild figured out restroom facilities and other details, but the elected leaders finally agreed to transfer the money during a June meeting.

In addition, the Scotts Valley High School Performing Arts students helped to raise money for the new theater, and are hoping to use the space for their own performances.

Hodgin suggested that the venue could also be used for a hands-on theater tech class for students hoping to learn more about the performing arts field.

Theater grand opening is on Saturday, Oct. 1, 1-4pm. 251B Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley. svctheaterguild.org.

Inaugural Filipino American History Month Festival Begins Saturday

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Inaugural Filipino American History Month Festival Begins Saturday

October is Filipino American History Month, commemorating the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States in 1587.

The month was first introduced in 1992 by the Filipino American National Historical Society and was officially recognized by Congress in 2009.

Since then, communities throughout the U.S. have started to observe the historical moment, and this Saturday Watsonville will join in by hosting its inaugural Filipino American History Month festival.

“Other cities have had Filipino American History Month or Day celebrations in October,” says Roy Recio, lead organizer of the Tobera Project, a local initiative aiming to preserve and celebrate Watsonville’s Filipino history. “But we’ve never had one, despite being here for a long time. It’s been almost 100 years since we have been here, and we never really had the city acknowledge us until now.”

Included in that history is the 1930 anti-Filipino race riot in which hundreds of armed white men took to the streets of Watsonville, targeting and beating Filipino-American workers who they claimed were stealing their jobs and women, according to multiple news reports. The riots reached a head on the night of Jan. 20, when 22-year-old Fermin Tobera died after being shot on San Juan Road. The incident was a catalyst for more riots, instigated by white men around the state.

In a historic move in 2020, the Watsonville City Council approved a resolution that officially apologized to the local Filipino community.

The Tobera Project officially formed in 2019 and has since kickstarted a movement in Santa Cruz County. Together with researchers at UCSC, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History and other local groups, they created Watsonville is in the Heart, an ongoing digital archive chronicling the history of Filipino families in the Pajaro Valley.

This weekend’s festival is the Tobera Project’s latest endeavor.

“The festival is a big deal to us as it will show that we are not invisible or unimportant,” Recio says. “Our blood, sweat and tears have helped to build the Pajaro Valley. It’s going to be a grand time, we’re going to put our flag in the ground. We’re going to embrace our loved ones and really just celebrate our existence and history in Watsonville.”

The festival will take place in Watsonville City Plaza from 12-5pm. Things kick off with a set by comedian Allan Manalo, followed by traditional southern Philippines music by Kulrura Kapwa. Watsonville Mayor Ari Parker will lead a special presentation for the event’s Grand Marshall, Kristopher Bayog at 1:15pm.

Filipino jazz band Autonomous Region will perform at 1:30pm, and then folk-rock singer Francis Ancheta will perform a set of songs, including one with lyrics Recio penned about his father. Spoken word poet Morielle Mamaril and artist Joseph Santiago LaCour will present their work at 3pm. The rest of the afternoon will include a live set by DJ Lito.

Food will be available to purchase from food vendors, including Tita Lalaine’s, La Boba & El Grano De Cafe, and Adobo To Go and the Lumpia Lady.

Recio says that the Tobera Project had approached the City and pitched the idea of the event. He named Parker, Watsonville City Manager Rene Mendez, as well as Parks and Community Services’ Nick Calubaquib and Jessica Beebe as big supporters of the project, and also praised program coordinator Amanda Gamban as a main driver of the festival.

“Amanda has been amazing,” Recio says. “This event couldn’t have happened without her. She took on a lot of the logistical responsibilities. We’re really grateful for her.”

The festival is the first of its kind in Watsonville. But Recio says they hope to make the festival an annual event.

“When we started the [Tobera Project], we wanted to signify our presence and share our culture with the community,” he says. “We have prospered and thrived here for many generations. There have been struggles of course, but we really have been one of the backbones in the community that built the Pajaro Valley. And we want to celebrate that.”

Second SLV Educator Placed on Leave Allowed to Resign

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Second SLV Educator Placed on Leave Allowed to Resign

A San Lorenzo Valley High School teacher who was accused of misconduct has been allowed to resign after many of the allegations against him weren’t proven.

William Winkler was placed on administrative leave last year after being accused of sexual assault and other bad behavior by former students. But a San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District probe found a number of the claims to be “unfounded.”

In particular, SLVUSD found no evidence for some of the more serious sexual assualt allegations.

However, a Feb. 23, 2022, proposed dismissal letter the district sent to Winkler, which GT’s sister paper the Press Banner obtained through a Public Records Act request, reveals it was able to substantiate many of the complaints of unprofessional conduct lodged against the science teacher over the years.

This includes reports of disorganized instruction, picking on students and making inappropriate advances toward others in the learning environment.

“It was concluded that you failed to exercise good judgment in the performance of your duties as a teacher and failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with district students,” the document states. “It is clear that your inappropriate classroom conduct is an ongoing issue as you continue to repeat the same unprofessional behaviors despite numerous directives to correct such misconduct.”

The heavily-redacted document outlines a pattern of poor performance that stretched back about a decade. It reveals Winkler, who was named SLVHS’s Teacher of the Year in 2017, had been the subject of several complaints beginning in 2011 and was forced to undergo corrective training. 

The complaints include several instances of aggressive and demeaning behavior toward students, showcasing inappropriate, sexual objects in his classroom and downloading “inappropriate images” to his district-issued computer, including some of “partially clothed young men” and “art images of nude women.”

On May 30, 2012, Winkler was reassigned to the District Office, until June 4 that year, and then placed on paid administrative leave until the beginning of the next school year, while a SLVUSD investigation into his behavior concluded.

Then on Aug. 6, Winkler got the investigation results and a Notice to Return to Work.

The next three entries in Winkler’s disciplinary record included in the documents obtained by this publication are redacted, but he appeared to have course-corrected, as he went on to be named Teacher of the Year in 2017.

But within a few years, problems had begun to surface, once more.

Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, multiple students filed complaints against Winkler, citing aggressive and inappropriate behavior.

One complaint states that Winkler multiple times called a Black student a “terrorist” after she blurted out answers without being called on in his class. In another incident, Winkler was reported to have held a box cutter to a student’s throat in what was deemed a joke.

“This type of behavior is highly inappropriate, dangerous and against district policies and rules for school safety,” the district told Winkler. “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated by the district.”

But it wasn’t until Winkler was accused of sexual assault last year that the district took action against the educator.

These claims, unsubstantiated by SLVUSD investigators, emerged via an anonymously-run Instagram account called Santa Cruz Survivors Speak and through a student who accused another SLVHS teacher, Eric Kahl, of misconduct.

A moderator for the social media page told the Press Banner, via email in April 2021, it was started by former SLVHS students who wanted the district to hire new faculty, institute consent classes for students, and provide better professional development for employees.

They said they received upwards of 300 stories from victims, primarily from across San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz County, and shared the SLVUSD-related reports with district officials.

In April 2021, former Superintendent Laurie Bruton announced Kahl and Winkler had both been placed on administrative leave.

Trustees voted to allow Kahl to resign after investigators found it was more likely than not that he had engaged in “predatory grooming” of current and former students. His final day was Oct. 15, 2021.

But the investigation into Winkler continued to drag on.

At an April board meeting, SLVUSD agreed to move forward with removing Winkler, after a unanimous vote in closed session, on a motion from Trustee Stacy Newsom Kerr seconded by Trustee Jacqui Rice.

SLVUSD Board President Mark Becker was absent from the meeting.

Ultimately, Winkler was permitted to resign. His lawyer, Joseph Cisneros of The Biegel Law Firm, sent the Press Banner a statement approved by the district about the separation agreement.

“As it pertains solely to stories that were anonymously posted on Instagram about Mr. Winkler, those stories were investigated by an outside independent investigator,” the statement reads. “The stories could not be corroborated by any witness. As such, the outside investigator found that all these stories were unfounded and thereby Not Sustained.”

Reflecting on his 36-plus years since he first strode into SLVHS, Winkler expressed—through his lawyer—his “deep gratitude” to the district and the San Lorenzo Valley community, as moves “into the next chapter of his life.”

Meanwhile, former SLVUSD teacher Michael Henderson, who’d been accused of abusing a 10-year-old girl during private after-school tutoring, was sentenced to six months of home confinement after he pleaded guilty to a felony assault count.

And Ned Hearn, who worked as SLVHS vice principal and as an administrator at the District office, is currently facing a child sex abuse lawsuit in Solano County. His last paid day with SLVUSD was July 8.

Paola Bruni’s and Jory Post’s Poetry Collection will be Celebrated September 30

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Paola Bruni’s and Jory Post’s Poetry Collection will be Celebrated September 30

The brain-twisting title of how do you spell the sound of crickets, the new poetry collection by Paola Bruni and the late Jory Post, invites us to enter a playful call and response between two literary colleagues. Devised during a writing retreat in the summer of 2019, the poetic letters that form the heart of “crickets” began life as a workshop assignment. Written during that last year before Post’s death in 2020, the gathered exchanges represent an extraordinary openness, openness to each other’s ideas and more courageously to each other’s fears. Lively confessions and candid pleas fill this book, beautifully designed and wisely edited to underscore gravitas without overwhelming the reader’s appetite.

Once devoured, the 46 pages cry out to be reread, at once, from the beginning. Each reading refreshes the palate rather than weighing it down with the too-often familiar menu of narcissistic laments that turn up so predictably in contemporary poetry. Skillfully curated to whet the appetite, this suite of poems dives deeply into the cares, dreams, peculiarities, and inmost unknowables of the two minds (two spirits) giving so generously to each other as they work, and write, and think together, back and forth.

“Let’s write fifty poems before I’m gone,” the dying Post told Bruni when they were paired as correspondents in Dorianne Laux’s workshop session on epistles—letter writing in poetic form. “Twenty-five each. We can do this,” Post challenged Bruni. He was undergoing a slow and agonizing decline from cancer. She was wading deep in the grief of her parents’ recent deaths. “We had a timer ticking,” Bruni recalls, “and I knew he wanted us to finish those poems before he was gone. I’ve never been a fast writer, and there was a constant pressure to write a response, to get it back to him as quickly as possible. If he didn’t write back to me within a week or two, I’d know he was feeling worse.” Bruni had no idea how intimate the exchange would become.

And so, they began. Exploring each other’s names, working and reworking the metaphor of hand sewing, waiting for the end of consciousness.

Even if they hadn’t been conceived during such harrowing conditions, these poems would resound, each line hammered into sparks by the poets’ mission to lengthen time, to beat the clock, to work against grim odds. The goal, Bruni has confessed, was “to be vulnerable on the page. Hold nothing back.” And what emerged, ultimately compiled after Post’s death, and published just this year, is an improbably joyful journey through the urgency of their ideas and their deepening affection as literary comrades. The pages of this book are compiled of poetic prompts and responses that read and feel like a living conversation. The reader can hear their voices, unmistakably distinct yet joined in a simpatico that is both robust and graceful.

Paola explores dreams that point toward her epistolary dance with Post. He explores worlds discovered in her dream imagery, bringing them across vast expanses of ocean, onto a sandy shore without a name. She tells him of the Capri resonating in her heritage. He asks, “Do they have crickets in Capri?” He wants to know about those crickets of Capri. Exploring their sound in words, Post asks her an unthinkably original question, “How do you spell the sound of crickets?” he asks in the poem that gives this volume its name. Bruni’s following response/poem is equally disarming. “With only months to live, life distilled into simple acts of genius,”

she begins, sculpting the biography of crickets. 

Jory Post asked his poetic correspondent, “Expand me, please. Keep me alive. One more poem added to the next.” His words live on, greatly thanks to this beautiful book and the compelling responses of his colleague Paola Bruni, who helped to shepherd this volume to publication.

“I won’t learn to say goodbye,” she wrote to him in her poetic response. And she’s kept that vow.

Paola Bruni and Paul Skenazy will read from ‘how do you spell the sound of crickets’ on Friday, Sept. 30 at 5pm, on a special Zoom Forward! presentation. mailchi.mp/santacruzwrites/zoomforward91.

Things to Do in Santa Cruz: Sept. 28-Oct. 4

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Things to Do in Santa Cruz: Sept. 28-Oct. 4

ARTS AND MUSIC

ALDOUS HARDING WITH H. HAWKLINE Avant-garde folk singer-songwriter Aldous Harding recently described what it’s like to be asked about the meaning of her music. She told Pitchfork it’s like being “interviewed about a robbery,” she said. “I didn’t see their face, and I wanna help, but I don’t really remember how it felt.” Harding’s fourth record, Warm Chris, follows that ambiguous path, riding into a liberating world of her creation where nothing is direct, everything is somewhat abstract, and stories avoid conventional plotlines like Superman and kryptonite. These are impressionistic paintings translated into ghostly murmurs that bring many of Harding’s errant characters to life. This music is what the world could use right now: intentional without irony. Harding’s bandmate, multi-instrumentalist H. Hawkline, opens. $31.50 plus fees. Wednesday, Sept. 28, 8pm. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com.

DANIELLE PONDER WITH VILLAGE OF SPACES Danielle Ponder knows what it means to be a soul singer. Like some of the strongest vocalists who came before her—Nina Simone, Roberta Flack and Sharon Jones—it comes from a place that extends deeper than straightforward talent. Ponder culls from the hardship and frustration of her brother’s “three strikes” prison sentence, which first inspired her career as a public defender in Rochester and now serves as that rare something that separates the greatest from the better than great. “I write the songs I need to survive the situations I am in, and these are those songs,” Ponder says of her debut, Some of Us Are Brave. $20/$25 plus fees. Thursday, Sept. 29, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com.

MARTY O’REILLY “It’s not about where a [song] goes, it’s about the headspace and drive,” Marty O’Reilly told me about a decade ago. O’Reilly has evolved into one of the most versatile musicians because he genuinely understands that. “People like Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker could play the same chord for five minutes and not have it sound repetitive because their heart is in it.” Over the years, he’s learned to adapt no matter what genre of music he plays; that’s why he’s consistently juggling a barrage of projects. He’s a master songwriter who can also deliver unique takes on classic covers you’ve heard hundreds of times. “The words remain somewhat constant, but the musical context can change entirely,” O’Reilly explained. “A huge part of a person’s voice and identity can uniquely translate a song.” $30/$35 plus fees. Friday, Sept. 30, 7:30pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. folkyeah.com.

COMEDIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT One person’s hardship is a comedian’s punchline. In this case, the person and the comedian are the same. In 2010, comedian Michael O’Connell started the group, later joined by Steve Danner and Nina G. O’Connell passed in 2016, but his vision, spotlighting a variety of disabled comedians, lives on. The upcoming lineup of shows includes comedians with dyslexia, dwarfism, OCD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, autism, Tourette’s and more. Headliner Mean Dave weaves his struggles with addiction into his routine. “Not a lot of people know that being an addict in recovery is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” he advocates. Nina G, Loren Kraut, Jackson McBrayer and Tut McCulloh will join Mean Dave in Santa Cruz. $10. Saturday, Oct. 1, 7:30pm. Greater Purpose Brewing, 21517 E. Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. comedianswithdisabilitiesact.com.

OLIVER TREE PRESENTS COWBOY TEARS: ONE LAST RIDE WITH JAWNY AND HUDDY Internet-based vocalist, producer, writer, director and performance artist Oliver Tree saw a fork in the road, and he took it. The Santa Cruz native appeared out of nowhere and has suddenly made his way to one of this year’s headliners at Austin City Limits alongside Pink and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Tree’s world is freaky; it might even scare some, but it’s screwy enough to turn social media’s collective head. “Unafraid to make you laugh, cry, think profoundly or feel completely uncomfortable for the length of a 4-minute music video, he is on the road to developing his blueprint for packaging and marketing pop culture in the internet era.” $99.50. Saturday, Oct. 1, 8pm. Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz. santacruztickets.com

‘THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT: TRANS PORTRAIT FILMS AT THE DAWN OF THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION’ Dirty Looks has dug deep into documents of trans history to assemble a program of archival trans portrait films from 1970s experimental cinema, activist videos and personal portraiture. Spanning an early decade of production, illuminating (lost?) queer histories and liminal spaces across America, The Girl Can’t Help It showcases poignant testimonials and early rhetoric of trans-femme ideation. $5/$10. Saturday, Oct. 1, 8:30pm. Indexical, 1050 River St. #119, Santa Cruz. indexical.org.

THE FRONT BOTTOMS WITH THE JOY FORMIDABLE AND MOBLEY 

The Front Bottoms’ “Grandma EP Series” began with Rose, a 2014 EP honoring drummer Mat Uychich’s late grandmother, Ann. A tribute to guitarist Brian Sella’s grandmother followed in 2018. A few weeks ago, the third installment in the series, Theresa, was released. The Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey duo sing songs about ordinary people—and everyday situations like living in your parents’ basement—through a folky, pop-punk filter. Hey, the approach still works for the fellow Jersey musician who goes by “the Boss.” Meanwhile, Welsh rockers the Joy Formidable return with Into the Blue; the band’s fifth record is laced with memorable melodies, hard-hitting rhythms and a dollop of shoegaze that’s a welcome addition to the trio’s sound. $30/$35 plus fees. Tuesday, Oct. 4, 7:30pm. The Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. catalystclub.com.

BABE RAINBOW WITH SEVENTIES TUBERIDE “Retro music sets a good scene for atmosphere, like cooking onions,” the Babe Rainbow lead singer Angus Dowling said ahead of their “Earth Is an Egg, Don’t Frack It” tour in 2019. The Aussie freak-folk group’s “Many Moons of Love” is the ideal scene-setter for a sunny beach day on strong acid. Think Donovan meets the Mamas & the Papas with a scary interlude that eventually returns to breezy bliss after some positive self-talk. The Byron Bay foursome has made some noteworthy fans, including Jaden Smith, who appears on “Your Imagination,” Babe’s first single off their 2021 record, Changing Colours. $22/$25 plus fees. Sunday, Oct. 2, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. moesalley.com.

OM WITH ZOMBI Stoner metal, doom, psych rock, desert—whatever label is attributed to Om, one thing has remained unchanged throughout their 20-year tenure: their music is driven by spirituality, initially derived from Hinduism. Bassist Al Cisneros, drummer Emil Amos and keyboardist Tyler Trotter find influence in the band’s namesake. According to the dean of the Kripalu School of Yoga, Yoganand Michael Carroll, the sound “om” represents “the natural vibration of the universe.” Expanding on the outfit’s nebulous description, they unleash a canister of experimental instrumentation—with lyrical agility—that erupts into extended grooves throughout one of their fan favorites, Advaitic Songs. $25/$29 plus fees. Tuesday, Oct. 4, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. feltonmusichall.com.

COMMUNITY

BBQUEER FEST 2022 Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center and Motion Pacific Dance present the second-annual celebration of “Black, Brown and Queer live art in Santa Cruz,” and there’s a lot planned. From a night of “Black, Brown and BurlyQ artistry, entertainment and excellence” to a Salsa workshop with Monica Santana, followed by an open dance session where you’ll be able to try out all those newly learned Salsa moves. The annual event directly responds to the County of Santa Cruz’s declaration that racism is a public health crisis. Most events are free (donations appreciated). Thursday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 2. For event information and RSVP, visit bbqueerfest.com.

TIM BRAUCH FOUNDATION SKATEBOARD BOWL CONTEST The Tim Brauch Foundation Bowl Contest is happening in Santa Cruz for the first time since 1999. The World Cup Skateboarding event attracts pros and legends from all over; plus, youngbloods hoping to score the $35,000 prize—and bragging rights. But the Bowl Contest is about much more; it’s about bringing people together through a shared love for skateboarding. The contest doubles as a fundraiser for skateboard summer camp scholarships to the renowned Woodward West. There will be a beer garden provided by Nubo Brewery, which will release its Tim Brauch beer, Super Nova. Additionally, the assortment of live entertainment on tap includes Steve Caballero’s Urethane, Pacific Arts Complex Dancers, the Ukulele Club of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz High Drumline. Made Fresh Crew artists Scotty Greathouse and Taylor Reinhold will also be on hand. Free. Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, 9am (practice begins); the event runs until 6pm on both days. Ken Wormhoudt Skate Park, 299 San Lorenzo Blvd., Santa Cruz. Email do*@wc***.com to register. wcsk8.com.

GROUPS

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM This cancer support group is for women with advanced, recurrent or metastatic cancer. The group meets every Monday and is led by Sally Jones and Shirley Marcus. Free (registration required). Monday, Oct. 3, 12:30pm. WomenCare, 2901 Park Ave., A1, Soquel. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

OUTDOORS

WILDER RANCH STATE PARK GROUND TOURS In 1896, this innovative dairy ranch was home to a water-powered machine shop. There was a lot of invention in the barns and historic buildings that pepper Wilder Ranch. During the hour-long tour, you’ll get to see it all. $10. Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, 1-2pm. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz. thatsmypark.org.

Open Studios Attracts Thousands of Arts Lovers

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Open Studios Attracts Thousands of Arts Lovers

It’s where creative magic happens, the private spaces devoted to the crafting and fabricating of unique artifacts. No wonder we welcome the rare opportunity to take a glimpse inside the place and the process, to meet artists in their studios, and in many cases to watch them handcraft their specialties.

That’s one reason why the three weeks of Open Studios attract thousands of art trekkers each year—the chance to see the improbably wide and diverse range of artifacts made by close to 300 of our Santa Cruz County residents. There is such abundant color, texture and form to be admired that most Open Studio foragers find themselves spending more than one day looking, admiring and purchasing. They meet neighbors who turn out to be artisans, and to drive and walk around parts of our gorgeous county they’ve never visited.

With her own retirement still two years away, Open Studios coordinator Ann Ostermann revealed that her last year working with the annual arts walkabout will be “after my 20th year, in 2024.” Meanwhile she’s been hard at work guiding the event through the pandemic—offering views into studios and artwork online was one of Ostermann’s recent challenges. The biggest change she’s seen over these two decades, she says, is “the digital aspect of it.”

The online application process began in 2012, and three years later there was another sea change—distributing the full-color Open Studios guide free of charge.

“That was made possible by a partnership with GT for printing costs. That really transformed things and let us make sure the event opened up artwork and artists to everyone. Before that, the $20 guide excluded lots of people,” Ostermann believes. “Now more and more younger people are checking out the studios.”

Hopefully they will find their favorites. I know I am always surprised by new discoveries each season, but I do like to keep tabs on the work of printmaker Bridget Henry, ceramicist Beth Sherman and the wearable artwork of Christina MacColl. This is your chance to feast on the photography of Frans Lanting, or raku designs by George Dymesich. And don’t miss the outstanding watercolors by John Flores.

Even though the listings of artists and images of their work are available by scrolling through the Open Studios website, “it’s still nice to be able to pick up the guide in print and take time thumbing through the pages, looking at lots of examples together on each page,” she says.

Ostermann, who makes the daunting task of coordinating hundreds of participants, images and website updates look easy, made sure to invite all of us to the Santa Cruz Art League to check out the huge preview exhibit of participants’ work. The public opening lets those interested in the three weeks of tours get a sneak peak. That way, art lovers can spot some must-see studios in advance.

Even though this year’s Open Studios will be the same size as always, between 275 and 300 participants, Ostermann is excited about what’s new with this incredibly popular art crawl. “There are 46 first-timers this year,” she notes with pride. “We’ve added a new symbol, a thumbs-up symbol, that indicates first-time artists. And also a bilingual symbol to help entice even more visitors.”

The symbol of a mask next to a name and image indicates the artists asking that their visitors wear masks. “To help welcome visitors this year, as we ease out of Covid, more of the displays than ever are being held outdoors, and most artists have done self-curating, so that they’re showing fewer items, but more of them are the very top of their artistic output. Sort of a greatest hits on display,” says Ostermann.

A great way to whet your appetite for this year’s tour is to stop by two large gallery spaces, Santa Cruz Art League and R.Blitzer, where selected works by participating artists will be on view. At R. Blitzer, work from Open Studio artists in rural sites will be on display October 1-16, with a First Friday Reception on October 7. Meanwhile work from hundreds of Open Studios artists continues to be displayed at the Santa Cruz Art League through October 16.

Open Studios Art Tour features three weekends of self-guided tours with a different geographical focus each week: North County, Oct. 1-2.; South County, Oct. 8-9; all county, Oct. 15-16. For more information on artists and locations, pick up the Open Studios guide free at public locations around the county, or go to santacruzopenstudios.com. The R. Blitzer Gallery is at 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz. Open for viewing Thursday-Sunday, 1-4pm. Santa Cruz Art League, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz. Open for viewing Wednesday-Sunday, noon-5pm. scal.org.

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