The Editor’s Desk

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May 12, 2026

Santa Cruz California editor of good times news media print and web — **Brad Kava** | Good Times Editor

I fell in love with her when I read Ginger Shulick Porcella’s quote in Christina Waters’ cover story, saying “But truly, I think I fit in in Santa Cruz because I don’t really fit in anywhere.”

I felt like she was describing me and so many of the people I know who have fallen in love with our town and county.

If you don’t live here, I don’t think you can ever understand Santa Cruz. Are we misfits? Well, maybe so in the way that we don’t really fit as well anywhere else. But we are appreciated here.

I always took pride in the whole “Keep Santa Cruz Weird” logo because, yes, this place has so many weird people and ideas, not the least of them being that we should enjoy life, support culture, and celebrate diversity and equality.

Those aren’t necessarily weird ideas, but as I see so much of the rest of the country bleeding red, crushing so many of our ideals (like democracy and equality!), they seem out of place for a big part of the U.S., the ones who call us the land of fruits and nuts.

Porcella also won me over with the music she chose for the Museum of Art & History’s 30th anniversary gala: Meat Beat Manifesto and DJ Spooky, far, far from household names, but performers who had an impact greater than record sales. They aren’t new performers, but they are outside the realm of so much gala music, which is too often just greatest hits of the Motown generation.

She did what a progressive museum should do: she found experimental works, which I expect she’ll do for the rest of her gallery. The best art should surprise us; history, too.

Elizabeth Borelli’s Wellness column takes on a big issue: why is it so hard sometimes to be happy? This being mental health month, it’s a good time to take stock and figure out what’s turning your brain down the wrong path. She’s got some tips to get you on the right track.

Sean Rusev profiles an event this week at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing put on by UCSC’s Center for the Middle East and North Africa. The free show by the world music band, AZA, is to raise awareness about the struggles of funding language studies at the school and the whole UC system. Cost-saving measures are putting those classes online instead of in person, not the greatest way to learn the subtleties of a new language.

Much to readers’ delight, John Koenig’s Street Talk column is back, after some time off. The question this week is ‘What should we be talking about more?” And, man, I could give some long answers to that one, but then there’d be no room here for anything else.

You can always send your answers to ed****@*****ys.com and I’ll try to print them.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

Sunlight bursts through redwood branches over a forest trail in Nisene Marks State Park.

SUN BURST This photo depicts the sun bursting through redwood branches in Nisene Marks State Park. Photograph by AnneMarie Miles

GOOD IDEA

Staff of Life Natural Foods, one of the original organic pioneers in Santa Cruz County, will celebrate the 57th anniversary of its Santa Cruz store with a three-day community celebration May 15–17, 2026, featuring food samples, wine tastings, raffle prizes and special savings throughout the weekend. As the only locally and family-owned full-service natural foods market in Santa Cruz, Staff of Life continues its longtime commitment to natural and organic foods, local agriculture and community connection.

GOOD WORK

Watsonville Community Hospital has earned an “A” grade in the Spring 2026 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade ratings — the highest possible designation — representing one of the most significant safety turnarounds among community hospitals in California. The grade was released this week by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization that evaluates hospital safety and quality on behalf of patients and healthcare consumers. Improvements included: more doctors; bar codes for medication; reduction of falls; lowered infection rates and improved patient satisfaction.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘But truly, I think I fit in in Santa Cruz because I don’t really fit in anywhere.’
—MAH Director Ginger Shulick Porcella

Street Talk

Street Talk

John Koenig

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May 5, 2026

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Share a personal dream pizza and your in-house favorite.

I’m imagining a pizza with fresh pears and brie, maybe with ham. In-house, I really like the special we’ve had here—meatballs, parmesan, basil, bacon and red onion.

Liam Rosakranse, 20, Pleasure Pizza, Downtown.

I’d make a special sauce and top it with oxtails. My family makes oxtails in a crock pot so they’re fall-off-the-bone tender. It’s like carnitas with a different flavor. We make custom slice-pies in-house, so the one I make is spinach, cheese, buffalo chicken and ranch-garlic sauce with bacon topping.

Amiyah Newsome, 20, Woodstock Pizza, Downtown.

I’ve been thinking recently how I like Asian food, and imagining a pizza for myself with teriyaki chicken. One of the coolest toppings we have is not on the menu, but you can order sliced apples and then maybe add bleu cheese.

Sophia Myer, 20, Pizza My Heart, Downtown.

Imagine wintery things—pizza with hazelnuts, endive, fennel, pomegranate, goat cheese. Recently we had a curry cauliflower pizza that was amazing. Something we have now that packs a punch is fava beans and ramps pizza.

Travis Koon, 37, Bookie’s Pizza, on Water St.

I’d imagine a filet mignon, caramelized onion and bleu cheese pizza. Our Taco Pie is fantastic, and we make a croissant waffle with fried chicken, hot honey, chili flakes, bechamel, mozzarella and peppers that blew my mind.

Amy Elliott, 52, East End Gastropub, Soquel

Chorizo, linguica and jalapeno was my special pizza creation that I made one time. My favorite pizzas in-house are made with our many custom toppings on our thick-crust Sicilian-style pizza.

Ernesto Chavez, 59, Upper Crust Pizza, Soquel

Peace Pole

Tarmo Hannula

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May 5, 2026

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Students in Watsonville High School’s Hope Club unveiled a “Peace Pole” Friday during a community-wide peace ceremony at the campus library.

The permanent monument, engraved with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in eight languages, was created to serve as a cornerstone of the Hope Club’s mission “to foster unity, reflection, and positivity within the student body and the broader Watsonville community.”

“At a time when there is so much conflict and grief in the world, the students wanted to help uplift people’s spirits,” said school counselor Daisy Nuñez who helped spearhead the project.

Senior and Hope Club member Crystal Martinez said she and fellow students have been working on the project since January.

“It feels good; it has been one of the best things that has happened to me. It was a big struggle, but we made it.”

Nuñez said students in grades 9-12 worked on the project.

“I have felt so much support from the group, the body of students,” said Angelita Zaratewho lost her son, a WHS 2025 graduate, to suicide. In the company of her husband, Uvaldo, she added. “I felt a lot of warmth in the room today.”

Around 150 people, including students, staff, families, and the local community attended the hour-long event that included brief talks by Hope Club 10 students who highlighted, among other things, three deaths by the deaths of three Watsonville High students and a stabbing attack recently at the campus.

Hope Club is a student-led organization that focuses on “promoting mental wellness, social harmony, and a supportive campus culture through community-building events and inclusive initiatives,” WHS officials said.

Of the Peace Pole, which features English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Italian, Mixteco, Japanese, and French, student Hilda González-Basurto wrote, “The message of hope in our Peace Pole comes from the understanding that, even though we speak different languages and come from different cultures, we all share the same desire for peace, kindness and connection.”

In addition to a program, created by students, each visitor was presented with a handprinted greeting card with their original artwork.

Absurdia unSCruz

Tarmo Hannula

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May 5, 2026

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El Pulpo Magnifico lit up the night Friday at the 14th annual unSCruz at San Benito County Fairground in Hollister. With a theme this year, “Absurdia,” the four-day gathering drew thousands of people for colorful acrobatic exhibitions, dazzling eateries, obscure sculpture constructs and nutty roving vehicles.

With many staying the night in tents, unSCruz mostly takes its shape and direction from the principles of Burning Man, “a community and global cultural movement,” that began in 1986 in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

Pitch-In

Todd Guild

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May 5, 2026

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Organizers are calling on residents across Santa Cruz County to “pitch in” on May 9 for a coordinated cleanup stretching from Davenport to Watsonville.

The third annual Pitch-In Santa Cruz event aims to build on last year’s turnout of about 750 volunteers, with dozens of cleanup sites planned countywide, according to organizer Sally-Christine Rodgers.

“The goal is to make Santa Cruz the cleanest county in the state,” she said.

Volunteers are expected to fan out across the North Coast, San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville and Corralitos, tackling litter in neighborhoods, parks and waterways. Residents can sign up for a location and time at pitchinsantacruz.org or simply show up at a listed site, organizers said.

For Rodgers, the effort is rooted in a simple message: reducing litter is a shared responsibility.

“Because I love where we live,” she said. “There is no reason for any of us to litter. We want to change the behavior of littering. It’s bad for the environment, it’s bad for human health, and it’s bad for our community.”

This year’s event coincides with Mother’s Day weekend, a tie-in organizers are leaning into with the tagline: “Make your mother proud and do something good for Mother Nature.”

A central gathering in Watsonville will be held in partnership with the city’s Second Saturday celebration, with activities anchored around the Watsonville Youth Center. The event will include a scavenger hunt-style cleanup where participants collect trash and visit participating downtown businesses before returning to the youth center.

Organizers describe the Watsonville event as family-friendly, with music and activities designed to draw residents downtown while contributing to the cleanup.

Pitch-In Santa Cruz is supported by a broad coalition of public agencies, schools and nonprofits, including Cabrillo College, UC Santa Cruz, Pajaro Valley Unified School District, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Watsonville Wetlands Watch, Save Our Shores and the Coastal Watershed Council.

The effort also includes partnerships with the Farm Bureau, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, service clubs and local chambers of commerce.

Organizers say the event is part of a larger push to maintain Santa Cruz County’s designation as a “Clean California” community.

While past events have tracked metrics such as the volume of trash collected, Christine said the broader goal is building a lasting community habit.

“This is about something everyone can do,” she said. “We can all stop littering or pick up litter when you see it.”

Cleanup times vary by location, with many starting around 9am, and the Watsonville event beginning later in the morning. Most shifts run about two hours.

More information, including site locations and signup details, is available at the county-hosted Pitch-In Santa Cruz website.

The Editor’s Desk

Brad Kava

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May 5, 2026

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Talk to local bands, of which there are almost as many in Santa Cruz as there are waves on the beach, and if they’ll be honest, all they want is success. They want to be able to tour, to play in front of big audiences that love their music, to record their songs and have them played all over and, yeah, if they are truly honest, to quit their day jobs and make a living doing what they love: playing music.

So how can Kat Moss, who has had those dreams come true, be unhappy?

You’ll have to read her soul-baring interview with writer Mat Weir to find out what blocked her joy and what she’s done to recapture it. Again, it’s a problem that so many local artists wish they had, or maybe not.

Our cover story covers it like this:

‘’The quick shot to stardom came at the cost of the familiar trappings of the rock ‘n roll lifestyle, combined with physical and emotional fatigue. When a close friend unexpectedly passed away in 2025, it pushed Moss to numb herself to the world.

‘’‘I really wasn’t really in my body or present, in fact, I think I had a lot of resentment at the time,’” Moss says. “I was so fucking overwhelmed I just wanted to tuck my tail and run away from everything.”

But she didn’t and she’s back and she’s a role model for bands that make it and find out the struggles don’t disappear.

In this issue music maven Mat explores another local band making waves, Dark Ride, which recently released a special album, Blade Manor.

‘’It’s 41 minutes across 12 songs of fun, 80’s B-movie themes set to late 1990’s and early 2000’s riffs and harmonizing vocals,’’ writes Weir.

How local are these Horror Punk guys? Their video features a cameo from Village Host Pizza & Grill in Aptos, a beloved place to locals.

Speaking of music, there was sad celebration for Soquel High School’s music teacher and band leader, Jim Stewart, who is hanging up his instruments after inspiring students for 30 years.

“Sometimes a budding soloist will lose energy, but you have to keep that energy up,” Stewart told his students, in Kristen McLaughlin’s article inside.

“For 30 years, Stewart has done exactly that—bringing relentless enthusiasm, creativity and dedication to one of Santa Cruz County’s most celebrated music programs.”

On the news front, we celebrate students at Watsonville High School who have created a Peace Pole with messages of hope and peace in eight languages. Tarmo Hannula also takes a quick shot at the local version of Burning Man, UNSCRUZ, which happened last weekend.

There’s plenty more inside.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

Railroad tracks running through green grass and eucalyptus trees near New Brighton Beach.

NOT MUCH ROOM Railroad tracks from New Brighton Beach bluff heading toward Capitola Village. Photograph by Rebecca Verhoek

GOOD IDEA

To celebrate biking in Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz is reopening applications for the GO BIKE! Downtown Santa Cruz E‑Bike Rebate Program, designed to support those who work within the Downtown Santa Cruz Parking District with an e-bike purchase to use for everyday transportation. Applications are open for a limited time and while funds last.

Eligible participants may receive a $400 base rebate or a $800 income-qualified rebate if you are currently enrolled in an income assistance program. To apply: gosantacruzcounty.org/go-bike

GOOD WORK

The Hephaestus Robotics Team, a group of high school students in the SantaCruz COE X Academy Robotics Clubs, earned first place in the Ranger Class at the 2026 Monterey Bay Regional ROV Competition on April 25, securing a spot at the 2026 World Championship.

The regional competition, held at Watsonville High School, challenged students to design, build, and pilot remotely operated vehicles to complete mission-based tasks focused on technologies that can operate in cold, dynamic, and extreme environments, reflecting ocean and cryospheric conditions.

The team advances to the world championship June 25-27, in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Everything but the surname of the fish.”
— Chaminade Chef Avram Samuels, about how much they know about their local catch.

Letters

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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May 5, 2026

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WHO OWNS THE COAST?

Just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed your article about the Coast Trail in the Good Times this week. Your clever writing style reminds me of Steinbeck and I love hearing about the Pillars. I really think there’s a novel/travelogue waiting to be written there. That line about the wind parting someone’s hair down the middle really made me chuckle. Thanks for your work in publicizing this very important cause and for featuring the people who are boots on the ground. I’m so grateful for all of you.

Mara Alverson | LMFT

POETRY IN THE PARK

My name is Naomi, and I’m a UCSC intern working for Santa Cruz County’s poet Laureate, Nancy Miller Gomez. This spring, we launched a project in collaboration with the County Parks to bring poems by local poets into the parks! It’s called poetry scavenger hunt, and you can learn more about it at parks.santacruzcountyca.gov. Submissions for the scavenger hunt have been open since April 1, but we only have a couple of people participating. We’re looking for ways to get the word out about the project so more people can experience the joy of nature, poetry, and (of course) prizes!

Naomi Garrett | Santa Cruz

FARM FRESH

Farm Discovery invites the community to celebrate the season at its Spring Picnic on May 9th. An afternoon of fresh air, fresh ideas, and fresh flavors. Set against the backdrop of the working farm, the event will feature three guest speakers sharing insights on Sustainable Food Systems & Nutrition, live music, and a lunch from ingredients grown on the farm. Guests can expect a welcoming, friendly gathering that brings together food, learning, and connection in one vibrant springtime experience.

Farm Discovery at Live Earth is a farm-based education not for profit organization in Watsonville. We empower youth and families to build and sustain healthy food, farming, social and natural systems. By developing environmental literacy, teaching farming skills, and transforming food habits that support personal, community and environmental health we encourage students to build a relationship with food that is healthy for people, the environment and the economy. A special emphasis is placed on reaching underserved people in the Pajaro Valley to bolster individual, community and environmental health.

The three speakers are: Jessy Beckett Parr, Brett Malone, and Tom Broz. There will

be live music by the Squirrels of Wisdom and lunch prepared by Cabrillo Culinary.

Info: Farmdiscovery.org

Jessica Ridgeway | Executive Director

ONLINE COMMENTS

PIZZA WEEK CONTINUED

I would like to bring your attention to Pogonip Pizza on Cardiff near UCSC. Very good pizza restaurant with a strong community vibe. Maybe too new to be on your list, but I would suggest in the spirit of Pizza Week, you give them a try. Multiple artisan pies with fresh ingredients and different flavors than I’ve ever had on pizza before.

Scott Brazier | Goodtimes.sc

TAKING THE KIDS TO ASIA

Fantastic piece, and the spirit of “It’s a wide world—get out and take a look” is contagious. I’ve had the luck to house-sit in various places in the world (not enough places yet, though), where when you stay for a month or two at a time, you get a different feeling from that of being a tourist. Hope to do it again.

Thanks for the renewed inspiration!

Tom Bentley | Goodtimes.sc

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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May 5, 2026

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ARIES March 21-April 19

Astronomers depend on instruments to collect the observations that fuel their work, but they don’t spend every night glued to the stars. On overcast nights, they turn to what they have already gathered, digging into past measurements and reworking the data. You’re in a comparable phase, Aries. For now, looking farther out into the glittering world won’t give you anything essential. The guidance you need is folded into what you’ve previously seen, felt, and taken in. It’s waiting for you to sort through and understand it on a deeper level.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

When lightning from a cloud hits sand or soil, the current travels down into the ground. It melts material along its path and forms tubular, branching glass structures that can penetrate deep below the surface. I believe that metaphorically similar phenomena will soon happen in your life, Taurus. Sudden insights or electrifying feelings will leave permanent traces in your psyche, creating new pathways for energy and information to flow. These disruptive inspirations and inspiring disruptions will rewire your internal circuitry, creating channels that will enhance your receptivity to future revelations. You’ll be able to absorb clues and hints from life that you weren’t tuned into before.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

I invite you to ruminate on death not as the conclusion of physical life, but as a metaphor for discarding what’s stale and outmoded. In that light, what would be the best deaths you could generate during the coming weeks? Use your imagination with verve and vigor as you dream up scenarios in which you purge parts of your life that are not serving your strongest, most vital yearnings. Visualize how much fresh potency that will liberate. (PS: To reiterate: You are NOT in physical danger.)

CANCER June 21-July 22

What part of you is too tame? Maybe your imagination is politely well-behaved, or maybe your voice edits itself before it dares to say what it really thinks. Can you inspire it to be wilder and freer? Not reckless or destructive, but more honest and experimental? Here’s a suggestion: Go on regular excursions with your wild side, maybe once every two weeks. Follow it as it chooses what to explore and create. This might ultimately teach your tamed self that it’s safe to let primal wisdom help steer you.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

According to quantum physics, particles can become “entangled,” which means they share a single connected quantum state. Observing and measuring one particle reveals information about the other, even if they’re not in close proximity. Einstein called this “spooky action at a distance.” I predict that different parts of your life will also interweave in unlikely ways during the coming weeks, Leo. Moves you make in one area will seem to produce mysterious effects in other domains. For example, adjusting your morning routine may boost your creative output. Healing an old alliance could unlock a professional opportunity. Everything will be more intermingled than the visible evidence suggests.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Your key power word for now is stretch. Speak it aloud multiple times every day, and write it on a card that you put in a place where you will keep seeing it. Also, make a point of physically and spiritually living out these three senses of stretch: 1. to lengthen, widen, or expand without snapping or tearing; 2. to unfurl your body to its full reach, boosting circulation and warding off stiffness or cramps; 3. to take on challenging tasks that push you to amplify your abilities and move beyond what you previously believed you could do.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

Four oracles for you, Libra: 1. You’re in possession of keys to doors that haven’t been built yet. Tuck those keys away somewhere safe. 2. You’re ready to dream up titles for stories your life hasn’t lived through yet. Write those titles down. 3. You are being granted sneak previews of your future, even though you can’t yet see the bridge that will carry you there. Imprint these glimpses on your memory. 4. You have everything required to grow a more muscular faith that’s grounded in real evidence, not in vague hopes and wishful thinking. Take advantage.

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

At the ancient Library of Alexandria, editors did far more than copy manuscripts. They compared multiple versions of important works and produced editions that aimed at definitively reliable texts. Their efforts at preservation required active intervention rather than mere reproduction. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, I think it will be fun and transformative for you to make similar adjustments to your own life story. How might your memories of the past need to be corrected and refined? How could you make your personal mythology more accurate and liberating? I invite you to revise and revivify the tales you tell yourself about your magnificent journey from the moment you were born until now.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

The speed of light is how fast it travels through a vacuum. When moving through water and other media, though, light’s swiftness decreases. The fastest possible speed in the universe only applies in emptiness. If you put anything in light’s way, it slows down. Let’s use this as a metaphor for your life. I suspect you may be frustrated by how incrementally things are moving. But you’re not in a vacuum. Your bright intelligence is traveling through the complex situations that life has brought you. So of course you’re not zipping along with maximum haste. My advice: Be grateful for the slowdowns. Learn all you can about how they are educating and transforming your brilliance.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Cryptographer Claude Shannon (1916–2001) was the father of information theory. His achievements were comparable to those of Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin. Here’s one of his secrets: He kept his office filled with juggling equipment, unicycles, and mechanical toys, which inspired him to solve abstract problems. His playful tinkering helped inspire breakthroughs that ultimately created the digital age. For him, recreation and innovation happened at the same time. I invite you to try a similar approach in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Blend “serious work” with “just messing around.” Be alert for key insights that emerge from improvisation and experimentation. Your diversions won’t be distractions from your purpose but rather pathways toward it.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Master calligrapher Yukimi Annand is an Aquarius. She teaches that beautiful letters emerge not just from the hand that holds the brush, but from the entire body and relaxed awareness. Breath, posture, centered weight, and quiet mind all flow through the arm to create each stroke. Trying to control the outcome with arduous effort produces rigid, lifeless art. This is an excellent teaching for you right now, Aquarius. Whatever you’re striving to accomplish, I beg you to refrain from forcing results through grueling, overly laborious exertion. Instead, align your whole being so that graceful outcomes flow naturally from your soulful coherence.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

The placebo effect is getting stronger over time. Placebos in drug trials are becoming increasingly effective, to the point where it’s sometimes becoming harder to prove that actual drugs work better than sugar pills. Are we getting better at healing ourselves through belief? That would be a problem for pharmaceutical companies but interesting for the rest of us. Dear Pisces, I believe your placebo response is exceptionally strong right now. In the coming weeks, use it deliberately. Be daring and exuberant in your efforts to heal yourself.

Homework: Visualize in detail that you’re living the life you want to. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

Downtown Lowdown

Dining Reviews

Mark C Anderson

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May 5, 2026

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Two pairs of eateries with varying backstories, timelines, business models and cuisines are materializing downtown, in two acts.

The first act has already leapt to life and gets worldly.

Luna’s Borikén Bites and India Gourmet—both known local favorites, as pop-up purveyors and farmers market vendors, respectively—are now dishing at Abbott Square Market (725 Front St., Santa Cruz).

Luna’s (lunasborikenbites.com) assembles a festive palette of Puerto Rican flavors for your palate, like slow-roasted pork shoulder sandwiches (or pernil), rotisserie chicken (pollo asado), plantain “lasagna” (piñon), various plantain-based classics (tostones, mofongo) and more.

India Gourmet (indiankitchenking.com) does curry plates, samosas, and wraps naan around—and fills bowls with—best-selling chicken tika masala, lamb vindaloo and the tasty spinach saag-garbanzo bean combo wrap I tried (make sure to get a side of mint chutney).

Act two unfolds over in the former Alderwood Pacific (1108 Pacific Ave.), and leans more Americana microchain, as two greater S.F. Bay Area franchises look to break into the best Bay Area.

I’ve covered the arrival of party brunch favorite The Breakfast Club at Midtown (bcmidtown.com). Though the Alderwood space was looking good last I checked, Breakfast-Club-not-at-Midtown still seems a ways from opening.

The surprise there is that Campus Burgers has slapped up its own “Coming Soon” signage next door, with the subtitle “Home of the $1.99 Smashburger.”

The menu has five items besides that: cheeseburger ($2.99), double burger ($3.99), double cheeseburger ($4.99), fries ($5.99), soda ($2.99).

The bonus motto there: “Simple. Affordable. Delicious. Burgers and Fries. That’s it. You are going to love it.” campusburgers.com

Net gain

California’s first commercial salmon season in three years commenced on May 1 and the fishermen I spoke with report—unsurprisingly—that the early catch was sparse, but being back on the water was glorius. The season-long harvest limits are tiny compared to historic levels (100,000 versus multiples more), but that’s by design. The cap helps a suffering fishery recover on behalf of the fish (facing low—and warm—river flows, ocean temps and habitat loss) and hopefully a small boat fishing community on life support (thanks to lost seasons and high costs). Part of the joy emerged from a dock sale in Monterey where Joe Lucido sold whole salmon, and then cleaned and filleted them, for 32 lucky locals. For more on Santa Cruz dock sales, track Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust on Instagram (@mbfishtrust).

Slice and dice

Bay Area Pizza Week may have ended May 3 but standout spots keep proliferating all around Surf City (like two recent debuts spotlighted here, Sleight of Hand in The Cruz Room and Pogonip Pizza on the Westside), so it’s always lowercase pizza week, which Woodstock Pizza (710 Front St, Santa Cruz) honors with 11am-2pm Monday-Friday all-you-can-eat slices (usually with four choices) and unlimited sodas for less than $15, woodstockscruz.com…Be still my heart—Cabrillo Horticulture: Home Gardener Days Saturday Program sprouts 9:30-11:30am May 9, in Horticulture Room 5005, for 30 minutes of education followed by hands-on workshops in the department gardens, tools and gardening materials provided, with the stated goal “to provide the public a chance to experience the beauty of our campus and learn from our fabulous instructors” and topics like responsible, water-wise, sustainable and pollinator-friendly gardening, cabrillo.edu/events/volunteer-day-at-cabrillo-horticulture…Life hack: If you want to take water through TSA, you can (!), if it’s frozen…American writer/journalist/humorist Helen Rowland (1875-1950): “Love, like a chicken salad or restaurant hash, must be taken with blind faith or it loses its flavor.”

Hyper-Local

Foodie File

Andrew Steingrube

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May 5, 2026

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Inspired by having to cook for his family from a young age, Avram Samuels is the former Executive Chef and current Director of Culinary Food and Beverage Operations at The View.

Raised in New England, he went to culinary school in Vermont and then worked in Michelin-level kitchens on the East Coast before being recruited to California as a restaurant consultant. Wanting to level up the restaurant at Chaminade post-pandemic, Samuels was hired and given the culinary reins.

Design touches of wood, leather and chandeliers pair with traditional elements of Spanish style to set the space’s vibe, and has a panoramic ocean view from the patio, thus the name. Samuels describes the menu as modern American, combining French technique and global influence with a focus on sustainable local ingredients.

Best breakfasts include housemade birria huevos rancheros and the Chaminade Benedict with heirloom tomatoes and pea shoots. The lunch favorite is the 805 beer-battered locally caught fish and chips. The signature dinner appetizer is the Monterey Bay calamari tossed with arugula, banana peppers and sweet chili sauce.

A winning entrée is the Bee Burger, smashed-style with honey bacon jam on a brioche bun with bee pollen fries. Other highlighted choices are ribeye frites and shrimp fettuccini. Desserts are a housemade ginger snap cookie ice cream sandwich and sticky toffee pudding with whiskey caramel sauce.

Describe your passion for locality.

AVRAM SAMUELS: We are extremely proud of our seafood and produce sourcing, and we have an on-site organic garden from which we harvest most of our summer tomatoes and herbs. With the seafood, we know daily what is coming in, when and where it was caught, the method by which it was caught and the name of the captain – everything but the surname of the fish. This level of locality keeps my team and I very inspired.

Tell me about your bees.

About a year ago, we started hosting some colonies of local bees. We draw not only honey, but also honeycomb from them, which we incorporate into many of our food and beverage recipes. We also do honey tastings paired with cocktails and California cheese and charcuterie. There’s nothing like having on-property sourced honey, and it’s also a privilege to help do our part to save the bees.

1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz, 831-475-5600; chaminade.com

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

PHOTO CONTEST

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘But truly, I think I fit in in Santa Cruz because I don’t really fit in anywhere.’ —MAH Director Ginger Shulick Porcella

Share a personal dream pizza and your in-house favorite.

PHOTO CONTEST

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Everything but the surname of the fish.” — Chaminade Chef Avram Samuels, about how much they know about their local catch.

WHO OWNS THE COAST?

POETRY IN THE PARK

FARM FRESH

ONLINE COMMENTS

PIZZA WEEK CONTINUED

TAKING THE KIDS TO ASIA

ARIES March 21-April 19

TAURUS April 20-May 20

GEMINI May 21-June 20

CANCER June 21-July 22

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

Net gain

Slice and dice

‘But truly, I think I fit in in Santa Cruz because I don’t really fit in anywhere.’
—MAH Director Ginger Shulick Porcella

“Everything but the surname of the fish.”
— Chaminade Chef Avram Samuels, about how much they know about their local catch.