It has been 75 years since Dave Ferrari first opened “Ferrari the Florist” on Pacific Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz.
It was 1946, just after the end of World War II, and the shop quickly gained a reputation for its quality flowers, window displays and friendly customer service.
Through its extensive history, Ferrari Florist, as it’s now called, has persisted—and remained important in the lives of Santa Cruz County customers.
“They’re all so loyal,” says Brian Piazza, who now owns the store with wife Marilyn Piazza. “They go gaga over Ferrari. They all have stories to tell—historic stories, from long before I was involved.”
The Piazzas purchased the longstanding business in 2016 after it had gone up for sale. They knew of its legacy, plus the shop had arranged the flowers for their own wedding more than three decades prior.
Since gaining ownership, Brian and Marilyn have expanded Ferrari’s reach by opening satellite locations in Scotts Valley and Watsonville. The stores sell mainly locally grown flowers and plants, and they also aim to be environmentally sensitive, working with local organizations to create arrangements to attract butterflies, honeybees and other pollinators.
Brian says that the 75th anniversary felt “surreal.”
“We’re trying to get our minds around it,” he says. “Owning a business that has been around for so long … it’s incredible.”
The Piazzas are in the midst of relocating and expanding their current flagship Santa Cruz operation on Soquel Avenue to the 100-year-old Farmers Exchange Building on River Street. Brian says he had been driving by the iconic building when he noticed it was available.
“We called the landlord, he says they’d been going through a big selection of possible businesses,” he says. “There were pot stores, mattress shops, franchises, chains. But they were being very selective about who went in there.”
When Brian pitched bringing in Ferrari, the landlord called the owner of the building, who was immediately on board.
“Apparently the owner says to them, ‘Do whatever it takes to get Ferrari Florist in there—that’s exactly who we want,’” he says. “That was nice. We didn’t have to struggle too much for it.”
The large red building, located next door to Patagonia, is triple the old shop’s space. Brian says that Soquel Avenue space is too small to meet current demand, and can be frustrating for employees who have to navigate a cramped back room.
“It’s also tucked in on a blind side of the street,” he says. “No one can really see us.”
The new store, which held its soft opening on Feb. 28, will eventually include everything from a wedding/event consultation area to a plant and garden store similar to the one at their store in Watsonville. They will hold classes in the store as well, on floral arrangement and succulent garden planting. An ADA-accessible Dutch door will act as a walk-up window for curbside pickup.
The soft opening will soon be followed by a grand opening and possible 75th anniversary celebration in the spring. The Piazzas are coming down from the hustle and bustle of Valentine’s Day, one of the busiest times of year for florists.
“It’s really exciting,” Brian says. “This business has always been about our customers. Their enthusiasm is what motivates us. It’s not about monetizing things—this is about demand. They want more.”
Despite ongoing challenges, such as the nationwide labor shortage, supply chain issues and high costs, Brian says they are excited to be moving forward with the expansion.
“Santa Cruz has been getting a lot of bumps and bruises,” he says. “Lots of businesses are moving away. For me, though, we’re investing in this community with this move. We’re one of the originals. So we’re going to stay right here.”
A decade ago, a sold-out crowd gathered at the Henry J. Mello Center in Watsonville to enjoy films, promote filmmakers and celebrate the local arts community.
The first annual Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) was supposed to be a one-time event. But its success ignited interest in both organizers and South County residents who attended.
“Our motivation then was to celebrate local stories, the creativity of our community and bring people together—once,” says WFF executive director Consuelo Alba. “All of us realized, ‘There is something here. We have to continue.’ And we keep saying that every year. There is something very powerful and magical about bringing people together through film.”
The festival’s reach has continued to grow every year; a single festival has transformed into a year-round nonprofit that hosts events and works closely with other organizations, schools and businesses.
“I am incredibly proud, and grateful for our team,” Alba says, “and for everyone who has been involved in this organization for all this time, but all the new faces as well. It’s just a really, really wonderful feeling to get to this point.”
WFF’s 8th annual festival was one of the first in-person events in Santa Cruz County to be canceled when Covid-19 hit in March of 2020. So the group shifted its focus to virtual events, eventually creating its very own streaming channel in 2021.
“[Going virtual] was very hard, we had never done it before,” Alba says. “In 2020 we experimented with different formats, and then we started working with our own platform. We’ve been learning a lot in the process.”
The shift to online has resulted in WFF’s viewership expanding exponentially.
“We are reaching more people than ever,” Alba says. “Beyond Santa Cruz County, beyond Monterey Bay, even beyond California. Our program is attracting a lot of attention.”
Virtual screenings continue to be a part of this year’s festival, which kicked off Friday and runs through March 20.
Brenda Avila-Hanna, who works for WFF’s Artist Development and is a member of the Programming Team, says she is glad they are keeping some of the programming available online for free.
“We got a lot of feedback that by doing that, we addressed some other issues,” Avila-Hanna says. “Like mobility: Sometimes people cannot attend for different reasons. They might be working, or maybe there isn’t a bus route that can take them there.”
Additionally, going virtual has allowed WFF to make its Q&A sessions and other materials completely bilingual.
“We heard from people who were watching films with different generations within their families,” Avila-Hanna says. “We’re excited to continue that tradition. To have a little bit of what the festival was before, and what is shaping up to be its future.”
More than 30 full-length and short films are now available to watch for free online at watsonvillefilmfest.org. Many are locally made, via places such as Digital NEST, and a handful are set in Watsonville.
‘Tesoros,’ which will be screened at this year’s event, tells the story of a group of kids who go searching for pirate loot.
Local ‘Fruits’
One such film, Fruits of Labor, follows a Watsonville teenager named Ashley who is balancing school, applying for college and personal life while also working in local agricultural fields and factories to help support her family.
Directed by Emily Cohen Ibañez, the 2021 documentary had its world premier at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, TX last year, and has impressed audiences and critics alike across the U.S.
“I love coming-of-age stories, but I didn’t see those afforded to women of color, especially working women of color,” Ibañez says. “I wanted Ashley to be her full self as a teenager. This is an unusual film about farm labor. People are used to seeing historical icons, or very issue-driven films that focus on social ills. Sometimes what can happen is that folks of color can become stand-ins for social problems.”
Ibañez called working with Ashley and her family “compelling.”
“The love between them just jumps off the screen,” she says. “She is doing farm and factory labor, but she’s also a teen who has a sense of humor, who falls in love for the first time, going through teenage angst as well as these huge burdens she’s having to manage that no teenager should.”
Ibañez said that Ashley and her family are excited that the film will be featured at WFF.
“She’s overjoyed, it’s just really exciting. WFF is a wonderful festival, but it’s also the hometown of the film,” Ibañez says. “There is so much hometown pride with this festival, and we’re honored and excited to be part of it.”
Other films include The Mole Agent, an Academy Award-winning documentary from Chile about an elderly person who takes a job as a detective inside an assisted-living facility; and Treasures, a film from Mexico about a family who moves from the city to a small fishing town, where they connect more closely with each other, the community and the environment.
Short films include the world premiere of Watsonville-based filmmaker Gabriel J. Medina’s Disposable, which tells the story of two undocumented laborers fleeing a civil war in Mexico, who find work in the U.S. during a global pandemic, only to discover they’ve been lured into a frightening situation.
“We have an incredible lineup, the selection of films is very strong this year,” Alba says. “And most of the films are directed by women—which is really exciting, because these are important stories we rarely see.”
BACK TO LIVE
Having an in-person component to the event was also important to organizers, especially after three years without one. On March 12 at 6pm, WFF will host an opening night event at the Mello Center, screening the award-winning film Real Women Have Curves, directed by Patricia Cardoso, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The story follows a young Mexican-American woman (America Ferrera) on the cusp of adulthood.
“It is a really important American indie film,” Alba says. “It was very influential. It broke ground in 2002 by focusing on a young Latina immigrant in L.A., on her dreams, inspirations and self-love. It challenged all Hollywood conventions at the time. Our hope is to introduce this film to a new generation of Latinas.”
The screening will include a special appearance by playwright and screenwriter Josefina López.
WFF will also introduce its first cohort of Cine Se Puede fellows at the event. Cine Se Puede, launched last year, is a fellowship aiming to support emerging local filmmakers, assisting with funding of up to $1,000 per project. Participants will learn to pitch stories, improve proposals, budgets, marketing and distribution plans and more.
Fellows will have the chance to pitch projects to experts at the festival.
“There is an amazing educational pipeline here—Digital NEST, Cabrillo, local universities,” Avila-Hanna says. “But once filmmakers try to make it professionally, they either have to leave our region and we lose all that talent or opportunity. Or they stay, but it can feel very isolating. We’re trying to change that.
Avila-Hanna says she was “very excited” about the first cohort.
“They are all incredibly talented and resilient,” she says. “Many have been working here for years, some have screened their work at the festival. We have seen them grow from students to this professional stage. They are very intentional about working in the region. They really represent the essence of our festival.”
Alba said that the seven filmmakers will be working closely with WFF and each other for the next 13 months.
“We’ll have more opportunities to support these filmmakers after the festival,” she says. “But this way, people can recognize them as the inaugural fellows.”
Avila-Hanna says that Cine Se Puede, as well as the fact that WFF is free and easily accessible to all, makes it stand out.
“Our hope is that we continue to shift the culture around film festivals,” she says. “Reimagining what they could be, with a different audience who is not traditionally catered to by these events. Reimagining who goes to walk the red carpet, who gets to connect with other filmmakers, experts.”
The festival is also collaborating with PBS’ award-winning documentary series POV, which Alba says will help promote the festival within its networks.
“It’s really exciting,” Alba says. “It’s taking our work and exposure to another level.”
Alba said she is grateful to be back in person, at least for part of the festival, to celebrate 10 years.
“We invite people to come to the [March 12] event early to reconnect,” she said. “We haven’t been able to see people in this setting for so long!”
Alba added that WFF will be taking a number of Covid safety protocols at the event.
“We take the safety of our audiences very seriously,” she says. “We have a team dedicated to making sure we know where we stand with Covid and what the health department recommends.”
Looking ahead, Alba said her hope is that WFF will help make Watsonville become a hub for filmmaking, fostering both seasoned and brand new filmmakers and allowing Latino artists to feel supported and inspired.
“My hope is that we continue our program, that we can celebrate the great stories and artistry of Latino filmmakers for years to come,” she said. “And that our festival brings people to Watsonville. We’ve always been about promoting the talent, the potential, the economic development of Watsonville. We want to put it on the map as a place to watch amazing films.”
The Watsonville Film Festival will be held March 11-20. To register for the March 12 event, find a full schedule or donate to the organization, visit watsonvillefilmfestival.org.
A large group of people gathered in front of Cabrillo College’s Watsonville Campus Monday to watch as a new Pride flag was raised, two days after someone burned the rainbow flag that previously flew over the El Patio outdoor seating area.
Watsonville City Councilwoman Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, whose 2nd District covers the college, said the impromptu gathering sends a message to the county’s LGBTQ+ community.
“We see you, we hear you, we are here to protect you,” she said. “This is my community, this is my district and this is one of the only places in the world that I feel safe.”
According to Cabrillo President Matt Wetstein, a student worker found the charred flag next to Building A on Saturday morning.
“This is deeply upsetting, and we take this matter very seriously, as the second act of vandalism and hate to occur on Cabrillo’s campus within the past two weeks,” he says. “It is especially disturbing, because students love that flag, and several students came to El Patio specifically to take their photo with the flag.”
The Watsonville Police Department is investigating the incident, WPD spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said. Officers hope to view video surveillance footage taken at the campus, she said.
The incident occurred one week after someone scrawled racist graffiti on a bathroom on the Aptos campus, prompting Wetstein to repeat a message he sent out then. There is no apparent connection to that incident, Cabrillo officials have said.
“Cabrillo is a community that values diversity and promotes a safe and equitable environment for all students, faculty and staff, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said. “There is absolutely no place at Cabrillo for intolerance nor hatred of any kind. We welcome, support, and stand as allies with our members of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Neither the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office nor Cabrillo officials have specifically stated what the graffiti said. But Cabrillo spokeswoman Kristin Fabos said it was racist and anti-semitic, not anti-LGBTQ.
Those messages are apparently similar to graffiti found at UCSC in two reported incidents of anti-Black, antisemitic and white-supremacist graffiti.
According to UCSC spokesman Scott Hernandez-Jason, the graffiti occurred sometime between March 4 and 5 at Crown and Merrill Colleges, and contained “spray-painted images and words which historically been used to inspire terror and to degrade and dehumanize Black and Jewish people.”
“These symbols have taken on broader white-supremacist meanings in the 21st century, and have also been used against many communities of color. We resolutely condemn this crime,” he stated in a message to the community.
The UCSC Police Department initiated an investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the UCSC PD at 459-2231, ext. 1.
It is not yet clear if there is a connection to any of the vandalism.
At the Watsonville rally, Encompass Community Services CEO Monica Martinez said she was “shocked” when she learned about the vandalism.
The turnout, she said, sends a message to the community.
“I think it’s so important that the community shows up and shows youth, in particular, that this is a safe space for them,” Martinez said. “It’s so difficult to be a queer youth growing up.”
Not having the support can have a detrimental effect on young LGBTQ+ people, Martinez said.
“I want to be a part of showing the community that it is a safe space, and that there are allies and friends and people like them,” she said.
Madeline Ciara Aliah, 16, who attends Cypress High School in Santa Cruz, attended the gathering. She said she was frustrated when she heard about the vandalism.
“There are so many things going on right now,” Aliah said. “There is a war going on, on every front, on our right to be us.”
Asked why she made the 15-mile trip to Watsonville, Aliah said, “I’ve gotta do something.”
“I’m guessing there are a lot of people out there who will hear this news and think, ‘Man, one person can’t change anything,’” she said. “But if everyone thinks that, then nobody is going to change anything.”
Cabrillo College Governing Board Trustee Adam Spickler said that any act of violence and intimidation that targets minority groups is unacceptable.
“As an out LGBTQ elected leader at our college, I know how critical it is we make sure every student, staff and faculty member feels safe at our college,” Spickler said. “We will act quickly and courageously to ensure Cabrillo stays welcoming and safe for everyone.”
The acts of vandalism follow a year in which nearly every school district and municipality in the county raised flags celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, Jimmy Dutra and Donna Meyers, both open members of the LGBTQ+ community, were the lead officials for the two largest cities in the county—Watsonville and Santa Cruz, respectively.
Spickler also said that the college views the vandalism as a “teachable moment.”
“We will increase opportunities to showcase positive representations of LGBTQ people, history and events at Cabrillo,” Spickler said.
Fellow Cabrillo College Trustee Steve Trujillo, who is also openly gay, agreed.
“This is a senseless act of vandalism and it does not represent the caring spirit that is so prominent at the Watsonville Center,” he said. “We reject these acts of hatred and want students to know that Cabrillo is here for you as a safe space and a place of friendship and support.”
[This article has been updated from a previous version that included a photo that did not accurately represent the content of this story. — Editor]
The Black Health Matters Initiative, a local effort to improve the quality of life for Santa Cruz County’s Black residents, was honored at the inaugural Anthem Awards on Feb. 28.
The goal of the Anthem Awards, according to its website, is to honor “the purpose and mission-driven work of people, companies, and organizations worldwide.” The competition received nearly 2,500 entries from 36 countries worldwide.
Black Health Matters, which grew from the Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center (TWDCC), was honored alongside The New York Times, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah and star tennis player Naomi Osaka, as well as a number of other prominent figures. It took home Silver in the category of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Best Community Engagement. Its fellow category winners included the National AIDS Memorial.
“It was amazing to be recognized at this level,” says Angela Chambers, Black Health Matters project manager and director of the Youth Ambassador Program, “and to be able to accept the honor with our partners and community, who have worked so hard to make our initiative successful.”
Black Health Matters was born out of the response to the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. Founder Cat Willis, who was director of TWDCC at the time, said she was inspired when she saw the Black community in Santa Cruz convening to take action.
“We are about 1.4% of the population [of Santa Cruz County],” Willis says. “I’ve been here 21 years, I raised my kids here, but I haven’t seen a lot of safe spaces where Black folks gather. I saw a big, gaping hole in the community. With [Black Health Matters], I wanted to bring together multi-generational, multi-faceted, Black-led or centered organizations that could help create for us more agency, pathways and power.”
Black Health Matters partners with United Way of Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Coalition for Justice and Racial Equity, the Speak for Change Podcast, the Pajaro Valley Health Trust and more to increase the visibility of health inequalities impacting the Black community. It provides resources and funding for outdoor recreation, arts and culture events, youth empowerment programs and more.
Being honored with an Anthem Award for their work, Chambers says, felt validating.
“Black Health Matters is centered in our health, and in Black futures. But it’s also centered in our joy,” she says. “To have that validated as an important, worthy and honored cause is huge.”
Willis said she hopes the award and Black Health Matters’ increasing visibility in Santa Cruz will keep interest growing.
“We want to be sure that we support young leaders, entrepreneurs,” Willis says, “people who want to hold social and cultural events that give Black folks a sense of community, a network.”
Black Health Matters recently supported Santa Cruz’s first-ever Cookout, held at Harvey West Park on Feb. 26. Organized by local activist Ayo Banjo, the event brought together the Black community and allies for an afternoon of recreation, food, entertainment and more.
“The Cookout was beautiful,” Chambers said. “There were kids running around playing games, sports, Black artists, allies, a beautiful barbecue … It was absolutely healing. It was like a shift in what can be considered normal in Santa Cruz.”
Chambers said she was grateful for what Black Health Matters has given her personally, as well as the greater Black community.
“This has been a healing venture for me, as a mixed Black person in Santa Cruz,” she says. “I’ve been lucky in my experience to have found such a diverse home base … but that’s not the case for so many. Black residents often end up leaving, being victims of racism and violence … I just need people to know [Black Health Matters] has been a saving grace for so many. It’s much more than events and programming—it’s home.”
To learn more about Black Health Matters visit bit.ly/3MieqrL. For information about the Anthem Awards visit anthemawards.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries author Isak Dinesen defined “true piety” as “loving one’s destiny unconditionally.” That’s a worthy goal for you to aspire to in the coming weeks. I hope you will summon your deepest reserves of ingenuity and imagination as you cultivate a state of mind in which you adore your life just as it is. You won’t compare it negatively to anyone else’s fate, and you won’t wish it were different from what it actually is. Instead, you will be pleased and at peace with the truth of exactly who you are right now.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): As author Mary Ruefle points out, “In the beginning, William Shakespeare was a baby, and knew absolutely nothing. He couldn’t even speak.” And yet eventually, he became a literary superstar—among history’s greatest authors. What happened in between? I’m not exaggerating when I attribute part of the transformation to magic. Vast amounts of hard work and help and luck were involved, too. But to change from a wordless, uncoordinated sprout to a potent, influential maestro, Taurus-born Shakespeare had to be the beneficiary of mysterious powers. I bring this up, Taurus, because I think you will have access to comparable mojo during the next four weeks.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): As talented and financially successful as Kanye West is, the Gemini singer-songwriter experiences a lot of emotional suffering. But no one lives an ideal life, right? And we can learn from everyone. In any case, I’ve chosen quotes by Kanye that are in rapt alignment with your astrological omens. Here they are: 1. “I’m in pursuit of awesomeness; excellence is the bare minimum.” 2. “You’re not perfect, but you’re not your mistakes.” 3. “I’m not comfortable with comfort. I’m only comfortable when I’m in a place where I’m constantly learning and growing.” 4. “Everything I’m not makes me everything I am.”
CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Any real ecstasy is a sign you are moving in the right direction,” wrote philosopher Saint Teresa of Avila, who was renowned for her euphoric spiritual experiences. So is there any such thing as “fake ecstasy,” as she implies? Maybe fake ecstasy would be perverse bliss at the misfortune of an enemy, or the trivial joy that comes from realizing your house keys aren’t missing. Real ecstasy, on the other hand, might arise from a visceral sense of the presence of God, or the rapture that emerges as you make love with a person you care for, or the elation you feel when you commune with your favorite animal. Anyway, Cancerian, I predict that in the coming days, you will have an extra rich potential for the real kinds of rhapsodic delight and enchantment.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo actor Jennifer Lawrence portrayed a rugged, fierce, resourceful champion in The Hunger Games film trilogy. In real life, however, she has few resemblances to that stalwart hero. “I have the street smarts and survival skills of a poodle,” she has confessed. But I’ve got potentially good news for her and all the rest of you Leos. The coming months will be a favorable time for you to cultivate the qualities of a rugged, fierce, resourceful champion. And right now would be an excellent time to launch your efforts.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Each of us periodically has to deal with conflict. There come times when we must face the fact that a specific situation in our lives isn’t working well and needs to be adjusted, fixed or transformed. We might prefer to pretend the problem doesn’t exist. We may be inclined to endure the stressful discomfort rather than engage with its causes. But such an approach won’t be right for you in the coming days, dear Virgo. For the sake of your mental and spiritual health, you have a sacred duty to bravely risk a struggle to improve things. I’ll provide you with advice from novelist John Fowles. He said, “I must fight with my weapons. Not his. Not selfishness and brutality and shame and resentment.” Fowles goes on to say that he will offer generosity and gentleness and no-shame and forgiveness.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A blogger named MysteryOfWhat expressed appreciation for her errors and wrong turns. “I love all my mistakes!” she exclaimed. “I had fun!” She has a theory that she would not have been able to completely fulfill her interesting destiny without her blunders and her brilliant adjustments to those blunders. I won’t encourage you to be quite so boisterously unconditional in celebrating your fumbles and miscues, Libra. My inclination is to urge you to honor them and feel grateful for them, but I’m not sure I should advise you to shout out, “I love all my mistakes! I had fun!” But what do you think?
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Norman MacCaig wrote, “Ask me, go on, ask me to do something impossible, something freakishly useless, something unimaginable and inimitable like making a finger break into blossom or walking for half an hour in twenty minutes or remembering tomorrow.” I hope people say things like that to you soon, Scorpio. I hope allies playfully nudge you to stretch your limits, expand your consciousness and experiment on the frontier. To encourage such a development, you could do the same for your beloved allies: nudge them to stretch their limits, expand their consciousness and experiment on the frontier.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Look at your body not as a source of physical attraction but as a shrine,” wrote teacher Sobonfu Somé. Personally, I have no problem if you regard your body as a source of physical attraction—as a gorgeous, radiant expression of your life energy, worthy of inspiring the appreciation of others. But I agree with Somé that you should also treat your body as a sacred sanctuary deserving of your reverence—especially now. Please boost your intention to provide your beloved organism with all the tender care it needs and warrants.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “It’s surprising how much memory is built around things unnoticed at the time,” writes author Barbara Kingsolver. Yes! I agree. And by providing you with this heads-up from her, I’m hoping that the subtly potent events unfolding for you in the coming weeks will not go unnoticed. I’m hoping you will be alert for seemingly small but in fact crucial developments—and thereby give them all the focus and intelligence they deserve. Later, you’ll remember this delicately pivotal time with amazed gratitude.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What’s more important: to learn or to unlearn? The answer, of course, is they are equally important. But sometimes, the most crucial preparation for a new learning phase is to initiate a surge of unlearning. That’s what I’m recommending for you right now. I foresee you embarking on a series of extravagant educational experiences in a couple of weeks. And the best way to ensure you take maximum advantage of the available lessons is by dumping useless knowledge and irrelevant information and numbing habits.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Singer-songwriter Jill Scott has earned one platinum and two gold records. She approaches her craft with diligence and intensity. On one occasion, she was frying a burger at her boyfriend’s house when she sensed a new song forming in her imagination. Abandoning the stove, she ran into the next room to grab pen and paper. Soon she had transcribed the beginning of a melody and lyrics. In the meantime, though, the kitchen caught on fire. Luckily, she doused it. Later Jill testified, “His cabinets were charred, and he was furious. But it was worth it for a song.” I don’t think you’ll have to make as big a sacrifice as hers in the coming days, Pisces. But you should respond robustly whenever inspiration arrives.
Homework: Every day for three days, seek out three experiences that will make you laugh a lot. Report results: newsletter.freewillastrology.com.
Spring is just around the corner, ushering in the warmer weather that comes with it. I suggest we greet this temperate season full-on with a nice bottle of Chardonnay.
Ettore Wine’s 2018 Chardonnay Pure ($28) is the perfect addition to your wine rack. Should you want to try another Ettore Chardonnay, Zero ($42) is a fantastic option.
The winery’s master winemaker and namesake, Ettore Biraghi, is an Italian-born son of flower growers, so his attachment to the land came early. But when he first saw the Sanel Valley in Mendocino along the northern stretches of the Russian River, he describes it as “love at first sight.” So, this is where he founded the boutique winery.
The Chardonnay Pure ($28) is made with organic grapes, as are all Ettore’s wines. Notes of white flowers and exotic fruits accompany butter and vanilla nuances. With its deep straw-yellow color and golden reflections, it’s appealing to look at as well as to taste. The soft and flavorful finish is a fine ending to this elegant wine. Don’t forget to “spring forward” your clocks on Sunday, March 13. ettore.wine.com.
Dream Inn
Santa Cruz’s iconic landmark hotel, the Dream Inn, has some special events lined up for spring break—a daily Street Taco Cart, Kids Happy Hour featuring $6 Marianne’s ice cream bars, a Bloody Mary & Mimosa Bar and a citywide Scavenger Hunt with maps and prizes. City tours are available on “Slowboy,” a newly restored 1964 VW bus. The Dream Inn has recently revamped the Jack O’Neill restaurant and all 165 rooms, adding to the enjoyment of a welcome break right next to the beach. dreaminnsantacruz.com.
Bee-Keeping Workshop
If you missed Love Apple Farms’ workshop on backyard bee-keeping, there’s another one scheduled for April 2. Love Apple, based in Scotts Valley, is hosting classes through September, focusing on an assortment of your gardening needs. growbetterveggies.com.
Before Michael McBride landed in Santa Cruz, he went to Florida International University to learn classical French cooking. Following graduation, the Maryland native loaded up his Toyota Celica with a kayak and his dog and headed to the West Coast; “California has it all,” McBride thought. He would be able to ski snow-capped mountains and surf killer waves on the same day. But the perpetually creative food scene and excellent wine was the main attraction.
McBride recalls his fall-in-love moment with Santa Cruz while catering a Fourthof July party at Rio Beach in Aptos.Its natural beauty smote him—he and his wife Dorte ended up buying a house two blocks from that very beach. The East Coaster scored a job running Sweet Pea’s Creperie Café in Los Gatos, which led to opening Sweet Pea’s in Capitola. 14 years later, the Creperie is still going strong, thanks to tasty homemade crepe creations of the sweet (strawberry, banana, Nutella) and savory (chicken pesto) variety. They also serve a hearty breakfast burrito that “travels well,” deep-dish quiche twice the thickness of an average size quiche, sandwiches, salads and an alternating lineup of housemade soups. Recently, McBride rapped with GT about making incredible crepes and what it’s like to be in business with the love of his life.
Tell me about your passion for crepes.
MICHAEL MCBRIDE: It comes from when I was a young child hearing my grandparents talk about the crepes in Brittany, France, which was where my grandpa grew up. This place is well-known for their crepes historically, especially their savory buckwheat variety, which we also offer at Sweet Pea’s. I realized the universal appeal of crepes with my old catering business. From tech parties to professional athlete functions to music festivals, the clientele, age range and type of people were all really diverse. But everyone seemed to really love my crepes, so we decided there needed to be a spot here in town to offer them.
What’s it like running a restaurant with your wife?
It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. I could not have started Sweet Pea’s without her, and we certainly wouldn’t be here today. She left a very amazing job in electronic brokerage to be my business partner. We run the business together, and every day is a dream and an adventure. We have to be prepared for anything owning a restaurant, but that is what keeps it interesting. 2121 41st Ave., Ste. 107, Capitola, 831-476-2737; sweetpeascrepes.com.
March looks like the most exciting month in about two years. Openings, new tastings, new dining rooms, new chefs—everything we’ve been waiting too long for, coming up fast.
Just around the corner the soon-to-be Iveta plans to open at the ocean end of Pacific and Front, just a few doors down from the under-construction Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room. We say goodbye to the always rustic and boisterous Vasili’s after three decades of keeping us all swilling retsina and noshing on tzatziki. But another door is about to open—a new Mediterranean fast-casual eatery, Achilles Restaurant, is refurbishing the former Taco Bell spot on Soquel Drive, across from Staff of Life. Achilles is the sister branch of the popular Santa Clara original, home of many spice-marinated shawarma and gyros specialties, wraps, pitas, heart-shaped falafels and big flavors.
Coming online on March 16 is Restaurant Malik Williams, in the neighborhood of the Hideout, just up Soquel Drive from Mentone and Cafe Sparrow. It will open with a focus on seasonal risottos and designer dishes all showcasing the touch of chef/owner Malik Williams, whose background includes Sotola, Mentone and Manresa. Williams has a serious resume and the buzz is major around his ambitious new dining room. Official public opening is March 16. Dinner Wed—Sun 4-8:30. Be the first to make a reservation at 831-251-0676 or Open Table.
Venus Unveils Yolo
Tasting something new in a quiet nook of Venus Spirits tasting room is always a pleasure, especially when guided through the process by entrepreneur Sean Venus, who oversaw the recent creation of El Ladrón Yolo from harvest to roasting to fermentation and finally to double distilling. The new spirit (named after Yolo County, where the agave is grown, not the Millennial mantra) sips as a surprisingly smooth creation, with the pineapple-esque agave fruit forward, followed by butterscotch and pepper. The lingering finish floats on a light hint of cinnamon. Not as smoky as a mesquite-fired mezcal, Yolo was roasted in almond wood—part of a unique alliance with almond growers near Woodland. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Venus says of this collaboration with Craig Reynolds, who helped to harvest 6,000 pounds of agave for this initial all-California release. “We put the 100 pound piñas in a pit covered with volcanic rock,” and after more layers of covering, “the agave roasted at 190 degrees for seven days.” Then the soaking of fibrous agave piñas, cooling, transporting to the Venus distillery for fermentation and finally double distillation—three weeks from start to finish. Venus now has a limited edition of 140 bottles available exclusively at the tasting room and online shop. $90, 42% alc, 84 proof. Yolo is a lovely elixir, with handcrafting and ancient ritual behind every sip. “We hope to do another one,” says an obviously pleased Venus, “partnering with local growers.” The limited release will launch Saturday, March 12 at Venus Spirits’ tasting room. Music by DJ CongaBoi, food by El Rey León and salsa dancing performances by Lulu and the Lushes. 1pm to 4pm, 200 High Road Santa Cruz. Not to miss!
Sundays with Persephone
Second Sundays at Persephone in Aptos (a very busy burg) is a new spring tradition. A casual wine tasting event with international wines, small bites and cheeses from the kitchen and live music. Second Sunday Wine Tasting debuts on March 13 with a focus on four Greek wines from Athenee Imports paired with Greek-inspired snacks. 3-6pm/$35.opentable.comAlso, look ahead and make your reservation to be at Persephone on March 27 for a Big Basin Vineyards Winemaker Dinner. Winemaker Blake Yarger and owner Bradley Brown will be on hand to walk you through five of the boldest Santa Cruz Mountains wines you’ll ever taste. With matching menu by Chef Cori, as yet to be dreamed up. 7945 Soquel Drive, Aptos. persephonerestaurant.com.
South Africa was not yet an international surf destination during Nicholas Whitehead’s childhood. Nevertheless, Whitehead, now 82, had an exciting life taking yearly trips to the ocean, working for the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation as a journalist in his home country, and for the BBC in London typing up international news. He also worked as a film editor, and eventually followed his parents to New York.
While employed as a correspondence clerk at Popular Science Magazine in the 1960s, he became fascinated by the emerging countercultural scene.
“I dropped out and joined the hippie community in Santa Cruz County, in Ben Lomond,” he said. “I decided I was going to take a chance and see what this hippie lifestyle was all about.”
Whitehead remembers girlfriends crying on trips to Fort Ord to take their boyfriends off for war in Vietnam, the time the Hell’s Angels showed up to smoke marijuana and tried to have sex with their girls, and the animosity of more conservative neighbors, who helped hasten the end of that era in local history. Hippies were some of the first people he saw in the United States who were homeless, he recalls, pointing out in that case, they chose the lifestyle. Decades later, Whitehead would find himself without a roof over his head. That’s different, he says.
He’d worked for years restoring apple orchards and tending gardens. But then, his long-time companion—who’d been experiencing congenital health problems—died.
“Her life-energy ran out,” he said. “I could no longer afford to pay the rent.”
For about a year he was able to stay with friends, sometimes in a room, other times on a couch.
“But you can’t do that forever,” he said. “Losing your partner and your place, that can disorient you. I slept in my car for probably a month during the rainy season.”
Luckily, he knew about a special program organized by people of faith in the area to assist homeless residents. That’s because he helped get it going in the first place. He remembers working with the late Annette Marcum, of Valley Churches United, on encouraging local churches to allow people experiencing homelessness to stay overnight.
“I went to three churches myself and persuaded two out of the three to do that,” he said.
Sam Altis, is the program manager for its modern incarnation—Faith Community Shelter. Now, the organization counts Christian, Jewish and Buddhist communities as members. Generally, they take turns allowing a group of around 20 people experiencing homelessness to sleep in their facilities, although that number has been slightly reduced during Covid-19. Crafting a healthy space starts with ensuring there’s a safe environment on-site, according to Altis.
“We try to be really clear about what our boundaries are,” he said, giving the example of their strict no-drugs, no-weapons policy. “They can develop a plan to move towards housing.”
While about a dozen churches, synagogues and temples have opened their doors, there are 40 faith communities that pitch in with home-cooked meals. Taking care of 16-20 people is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the 2,167 people discovered to be homeless across the county during the 2019 Homeless Point-in-Time Count. The research found Scotts Valley had 0.35% of the county’s total “unsheltered” population, down from 1.45% in 2017, although service providers caution this figure doesn’t tell the whole story.
“There are definitely folks experiencing homelessness in Scotts Valley—it may not be as visible as if you were to go down to the Benchlands,” Altis said, adding “unhoused” can include people who get evicted from their apartment and can’t find a new one, or couch surfers. “They aren’t as visible. They aren’t in a tent outside. They’re just trying to get by and take whatever steps they can to get into permanent housing.”
The day the Press Banner visited the shelter program, Feb. 24, it was being held at St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church, in Scotts Valley. That night it was also running its “Pip’s Pantry” food bank program, which serves about 15 to 20 families per week.
“Most weeks we see somebody new, and in 2022, we are seeing more people,” said Rev. Katherine Doar, the priest in charge.
The building used to be a motel, so it works out nicely for hosting unhoused people, Doar says. They decided to let the guests stay for a whole month, she added, since the pandemic has meant those rooms are vacant anyway.
“We have the space, and there are people who need places to sleep,” she said. “This is near and dear to the heart of the people of St. Philip—and how we see our ministry in the world—and is something we weren’t able to do during Covid.”
There are more people in need in the affluent community than people might think, Doar adds.
“There’s a lot of severe poverty in Scotts Valley,” she said. “We’re always asking, ‘How is God calling us to serve in this place?’”
Al Anthony, 68, who’s originally from Ontario, Oregon, sat at a table in the center of the dining room. He said he moved to Portland to avoid falling into the churn of the criminal justice system that had consumed so many of his hometown friends. Anthony thought he could easily land a place to stay once he arrived.
“But that didn’t work out,” he said. “So, I just said, OK, I’m just gonna live on the streets.’”
When he moved to Santa Cruz County with some friends he continued without a home.
As he got older, Anthony did tire of the harsh realities involved with being homeless, but still avoided shelters, because he heard they were full of people starting fights.
“I just decided I’ll stay where I’m at—until I got into this shelter,” he said. “I started out in this shelter as just a resident. For the last eight-and-a-half years, I’ve been the night monitor.”
He’s hoping to get an apartment to go to during the day, while still contributing to the interfaith program at night. The day after the interview, shelter members celebrated his 69th birthday with cards, presents and cake—to appeal to his sweet tooth.
Altis says the opportunity for the shelter to remain in a single place for an entire month has been helpful in providing constancy to program participants, which makes a big difference with things like getting ID cards.
“If you’ve ever had to track down your birth certificate or some other document, it is an inconvenience,” he said. “But if we have the stability of a place to live, you can handle it.”
Caroline Mann is the executive director of Wings Homeless Advocacy, a Scotts Valley Christian organization that has helped some of the shelter users apply for documents.
“Everybody needs to have a birth certificate to get a housing voucher,” she said, adding it has five notaries who volunteer their time. “We got 500 birth certificates for people last year.”
The official homeless count found 16% of respondents said they couldn’t get government assistance because they had no fixed address, while 12% said they had no ID, and 10% said they’d never applied. Once people experiencing homelessness do manage to secure funding and a receptive landlord, Wings furnishes the new home, provides cleaning products and kitchen supplies, and stocks the bathroom with toilet paper.
Many of the recent apartments they’ve housed people in have been located in the San Lorenzo Valley and South Santa Cruz County areas, she said.
“You’re probably not going to stay housed if you don’t have what you need to be successful in that space,” Mann said, describing the steps they go through to make sure people have what they need to start their new life. “We believe there’s dignity with that, as well.”
A stalwart of local government in Scotts Valley is calling it a career this week.
After more than three decades of service to the community, working under five city managers and 23 city council members, City Clerk Tracy Ferrara is retiring.
“Tracy outlasted all other employees at the City because she worked collaboratively with everyone at all levels,” said Councilman Jack Dilles, who knows this first-hand, since he was a City staffer in the 1990s. “She is a team player and a straight shooter. She was trusted to get the job done, and she always has. We will miss her big time at City Hall.”
Ferrara was in charge of developing department budgets, handling recruitment and negotiations and processing thousands of public records requests—among myriad other duties.
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Ferrara went straight into the National Guard after graduating high school, eventually rising to the rank of Sergeant First Class before retiring in 2001.
She began her municipal career in Watsonville, working for seven-and-a-half years alongside City Manager Chuck Comstock, who was her neighbor growing up. They would later be colleagues in Scotts Valley for 17 years.
When Ferrara was hired by the City of Scotts Valley in 1988, the administrative offices had just moved from trailers that were falling apart at the site where the Scotts Valley Senior Center is now located.
Ferrara says she’s naturally inclined toward improving processes behind the scenes. She explains she became used to interacting with all kinds of people while in the military.
“You really have to work with a lot of different personalities,” she said. “I’ve always been pretty good at reading people.”
The council honored Ferrara in an official proclamation, Feb. 16, with Mayor Donna Lind commending her for her “instrumental” role in facilitating the relationship with Scotts Valley’s Sister City in Japan, Nichinan-cho.
“The City thanks Tracy for her years of dedicated public service and wishes her well in her retirement,” Lind proclaimed.
What was her secret to longevity at City Hall? Maintaining a positive attitude, she reveals.
“I just kind of always deal with whatever comes at me,” she said. “Good or bad, I try to make the best of things.”
Ferrara says she’s excited to see what the next chapter holds for Scotts Valley.
“There’s a lot of new, younger people who have come in now, and they’re interested in learning what we did in the past,” she said. “But they also have their own ideas.”
As much as she’d like to stay on, she knows now is the right time for her to step aside.
“I stayed much longer than I’d planned,” she said. “At some point, we have to call it.”
After more than three decades of service to the community, working under five city managers and 23 city council members, Tracy Ferrara is saying goodbye.
