Return of the Mason Jar

John Koenig

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September 9, 2025

The scent of simmering strawberries wraps itself around you like a warm summer breeze in the spacious commercial kitchen home to Wylder Space in Scotts Valley. On a long metal table, jars, ladles and sugar bags are organized around cutting boards and recipe sheets, lined up in stations.

A group of ten or so, mostly parents with grade-schoolers, stands listening attentively to the instructions for tackling the ruby-red berries heaped high in baskets in front of them. At the center of it all is Molly Bravo—chef, mom, business owner, homeschooler and now author—smiling as she stirs a bubbling pot of jam.

“I think we’re in the middle of a food preservation revival,” Bravo says, pouring the glossy mixture into waiting jars. “And I’m ready for it.”

Her new cookbook, The Essential Canning Cookbook (HarperCollins), is more than just a collection of over 75 recipes—it’s a love letter to seasonal eating, kitchen self-sufficiency and the slow-living ethos Santa Cruz knows by heart. Inside, readers will find a month-by-month canning calendar and practical tips that make the process approachable for beginners and deeply satisfying for seasoned home preservers. Whether you grow your own vegetables, subscribe to a CSA or hit the farmers market every weekend, Bravo’s guide shows how to transform local abundance into shelf-stable meals all year long.

And Molly Bravo is the perfect person to lead the charge.

‘This is about food sovereignty. Knowing where your food comes from, and preserving it with purpose. The creativity is endless.’ —Molly Bravo

A Pandemic Pivot

Like many stories of creative reinvention, Bravo’s canning journey began in 2020. “I had all these vegetables coming in from different farms, and I thought, ‘I’ve got to start preserving,’” she recalls. With no formal training, she dove in headfirst, guided by instinct and a touch of nostalgia. “My mom always had a garden and a pantry,” she says. “We made our own yogurt, baked fruit leather from scratch—it was just how we lived.”

The turning point came when her son’s teacher gave her a pressure canner. “I jumped in with both feet,” Bravo says. She began experimenting, leaning on her grandmother’s carefully handwritten recipes, still kept in a wooden box, as both inspiration and instruction.

In 2023, a deeper curiosity pulled her into her family’s past. Interviewing her 80-something father about his upbringing in West Virginia led her to research life during the Great Depression. “I started writing about how people lived back then,” Bravo says, “and then—out of the blue—a publisher approached me to write a canning cookbook.”

Canning as Community

Today, Bravo’s passion is less about stocking her own pantry and more about passing on the skill. Each week at Wylder Space, she hosts canning circles, where community members gather to preserve whatever’s in season—40 pounds of strawberries one week, homemade beef stock the next. “We’re canning 12 jars per week,” she says. “If you came every week for a year, you’d have over 600 jars.”

Some participants bring produce from their gardens; others source through local farmers markets. Bravo makes sure resources are available so anyone—garden or not—can join in. The crowd often includes homeschooling families, swapping stories while kids dart through the kitchen. “I imagine this happening more over time, once the word gets out,” she says. “It’s how it used to be—neighbors in church basements, exchanging recipes while their kids ran around.”

For those new to the craft, Bravo says, canning can feel intimidating. “There’s so much information out there, and it can be scary,” she admits. She sees canners falling into three camps:

By-the-book traditionalists, following USDA guidelines to the letter.
Rebel canners, who swear by their grandparents’ methods and resist any rules.
Middle-of-the-road makers—like Bravo herself—who respect safety standards but allow for a little creativity once they’ve mastered the basics.

She recommends beginners start with water bath canning—“the way it’s been done for hundreds of years”—before branching into more advanced methods.

Meals in a Jar

While most people think of jams, pickles and tomatoes, Bravo sees the next frontier in “full-on meals in jars.” Imagine: chicken soup, hearty stews or vegetarian curries, all preserved and ready to heat on a busy night. “Stay-at-home moms are going to love it,” she predicts. “You can take your kids to soccer practice, pull a jar off the shelf, and have dinner in minutes.”

For Bravo, the appeal of canning goes beyond convenience or sustainability—it’s a way to reclaim something essential. “This is about food sovereignty,” she says. “Knowing where your food comes from, and preserving it with purpose. The creativity is endless.”

And in her kitchen, surrounded by friends old and new, with jars cooling on the counter and the hum of conversation in the air, it’s easy to see what she means.

For more information, visit wylderspace.com.

‘I had all these vegetables coming in from different farms, and I thought, I’ve got to start preserving. My mom always had a garden and a pantry. We made our own yogurt, baked fruit leather from scratch—it was just how we lived.’ —Molly Bravo

NEXT IN HOME AND GARDEN 2025—

Backyard Koi Ponds

Pollinator Gardens

Recycled Lighting

Feral Lawns

Soothing Waters

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September 9, 2025

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The ocean is never far away in Santa Cruz, but sometimes the most enchanting water is the pond just outside your door. A backyard pond draws in reflections of trees and clouds, casting a shimmering spell that transforms an ordinary yard into a pocket of calm. Even the smallest vessel—a whiskey barrel tucked under a shade tree, a ceramic pot on a patio—can host that elemental magic.

For Dan Rutledge, spokesperson for the Monterey Bay Koi and Pond Club, one glimpse was enough to set his life’s course. He was staying at the Disneyland Hotel when he first wandered across a koi pond. A conversation with the keeper left him astonished.

“He was talking about $20,000 fish, and that just blew me away,” Rutledge recalls. Soon he joined the local pond club, even before he had a pond. From there he learned, experimented, and eventually built three ponds of his own. Before long, Rutledge was not only tending his own water gardens but helping others design theirs, eventually turning that passion into a full-fledged business: Pond Life, headquartered in Boulder Creek.

Building the Dream Pond

Whether teeming with koi or left fishless, ponds cast their spell through sound and movement. Rutledge often reminds newcomers that koi are the “frosting on the cake.” In Japan, they’re called living jewels. “Watching them swim so gracefully, seeing the colors shift, it’s mesmerizing to the point where you don’t think about anything else,” he says.

For those inspired to take the plunge, building a koi pond requires both planning and commitment. Outside city limits, permits aren’t usually necessary; inside Santa Cruz, you’ll need to check regulations. Choices abound: pondless waterfalls (which provide sound and ambiance without open water), preformed fiberglass basins, or full concrete ponds. Rubber liners can reduce cost, though they may not last as long.

Size matters too. A true koi pond often starts at 3,000 to 5,000 gallons. A pond measuring 12 feet long, 8 feet wide and 5 feet deep can run $15 to $17 per gallon to build.

“It’s not a cheap hobby,” Rutledge warns. “It’s like having a horse. Buying it is just the beginning—the real work and cost comes after.” High-quality koi range from $1,000 to $10,000, with some specialty fish fetching much more.

With proper care, koi can live 30 to 40 years in the U.S., and other pond fish—goldfish, Chinese banded sharks, even bass in separate enclosures—can thrive as well.

When Nature Takes Notice

New pond owners quickly discover they’re not the only ones entranced by glittering koi. Herons see a backyard pond as a buffet. Rutledge has learned how to design ponds to outwit them. Depth is the best defense: “Great blue herons have 30-inch legs. They don’t like to get their breast feathers wet, so if your pond is deeper than 36 inches—ideally 4 or 5 feet—they stay away.”

Raccoons are trickier. They can’t dive, but their nimble paws can probe shallow water and scoop up fish. “They’ll actually work in teams, pushing the fish toward one another,” Rutledge says. “They’re very smart predators.” His designs use steep vertical walls and overhangs that keep raccoons from wading in. Motion-activated sprinklers and strategic landscaping add further defense, allowing koi to glide undisturbed beneath the moonlight.

The Club Connection

The Monterey Bay Koi and Pond Club has about 28 active members who maintain dozens of ponds. The group is a lifeline for beginners. “Many people decide they want a pond and do the DIY thing, but in six months the pond is green, the pump doesn’t work, and they want to fill it in,” Rutledge says. “The club has people with years of knowledge who can help you do it right the first time.” Members also give back, donating to projects like the Watsonville wetlands restoration and salmon preservation, as well as funding scholarships for students in aquatic veterinary medicine and oceanography.

Favorite Projects

Over the years, Rutledge has designed and created ponds that verge on the spectacular: a 23,000-gallon pond in Aptos with a 65-foot waterfall and 66 tons of boulders, and a mountainside pond in Boulder Creek with sweeping views toward the historic Brookdale Lodge. His background in architecture shows in every blueprint and plumbing line. “Watching it come to life is something I really get pleasure from,” he says.

In the end, Rutledge believes ponds are about more than rare fish or fountains. They are about beauty, reflection and presence. For most, the real joy is in watching a well-kept pond shimmer with life, day after day.

“Making the world a more beautiful place—that’s the whole idea,” he says.

The Monterey Bay Koi and Pond Club serves Santa Cruz County and welcomes new members. Call 831.338.7288, or visit monterey-bay-koi-and-pond-club.org.

NEXT IN HOME AND GARDEN 2025—

Food Canning Revival

Pollinator Gardens

Recycled Lighting

Feral Lawns

Go Tell It on the Pink Mountaintops

Music

Mat Weir

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September 3, 2025

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Someone once told me the difference between intelligence and genius is that while intelligence takes something simple and explains it in a complicated way, genius is taking something complicated and explaining it in simplified terms anyone can understand.

Talking with him one gets the feeling that Stephen McBean—the frontman for Canadian psych band Black Mountain (which once boasted Santa Cruz musician Rachel Fannan) and the single, constant member around a revolving cast of musicians for indie rock act Pink Mountaintops—is probably too down-to-earth of a person to accept the term genius.

However the plasticity of his music shines with its qualities. For instance, take his upcoming solo show at the Crepe Place on Thursday, Sept 4.

“It’s just me and a band in a box,” he laughs. “Just a drum machine and whatnot.”

It might seem like a long way from his last Pink Mountaintops album—2022’s Peacock Pools. He started that album at the beginning of the 2020 Covid lockdowns and ended up having an array of friends play guest spots on it, from Dale Crover (The Melvins), Steven McDonald (Redd Kross), Emily Rose Epstein (Ty Segall), violinist Laena Meyers (who has played with a who’s-who of Angeleno musicians, look her up) and even two of his Black Mountain bandmates: Jeremy Schmidt and Joshua Wells.

“When the pandemic hit a lot of friends around town asked if I was working on anything because their tours were cancelled,” McBean remembers from his Southern California home in Arcadia.

“We all had to do our Covid tests before recording. I was really excited to go into the studio with them and I remember thinking, ‘I really gotta bring some bangers,’” he laughs.

The result was Pink Mountaintops’ most experimental album to date. It starts with an industrial cover of Black Flag’s “Nervous Breakdown”—one of McBean’s favorites growing up as a Canadian punk in the 1980s—and travels through a galaxy of new wave, dance pop and the band’s signature indie rock that rides the thin white line of Americana and psych.

Over the last three years McBean has bounced between the two projects, sometimes touring with various musicians as Pink Mountaintops and most recently just finishing a tour with Black Mountain. However, earlier this year he dropped a new Pink Mountaintops single: “Paranoia,” featuring Andrew Moszynski (Deadly Snakes/Quest for Fire) on drums and Steve Frishman (Chrome) on bass.

In true Pink Mountaintops fashion, “Paranoia” draws from influences but retains its own unique identity. Despite its name, the song is a fun—dare I even say happy—fuzzed-out frolic of a track that draws from Hüsker Dü, the Stooges and Dinosaur Jr. with a sound that makes it the best ’90s college rock song that never was…in the best possible ways.

As for the theme, its lyrics explore the meaning of freedom and space within an individual.

Or that’s one way to interpret it.

“Songs are weird,” McBean says. “I always have a folder of demos—either with Black Mountain or Pink Mountaintops—and sometimes it can be 10 years later when you find a little thing and all of a sudden it makes sense.”

He takes a pause then recounts that at same time he released “Paranoia,” he saw a post by Spun Out, the Chicago band featuring ex-Black Mountain drummer Josh Wells.

“They were releasing a song called ‘Paranoia’ and it was the same chorus,” McBean says in shock. “They are almost identical songs—even though neither of us had heard [the other]. It’s an example of how you pull them and they just appear.”

Which leads back to the genius of McBean’s work.

Whether he’s jamming with old friends in Black Mountain, crossing new terrain with Pink Mountaintops or traveling from gig to gig with his band in a box, it’s hard not to think that he somehow has it figured out. Not that he knows everything—or even what his next move will be. But that somehow, no matter what happens, his work will continue to evolve and deliver just what the listener needs. That things are going to be OK.

It’s a philosophy that comes across in his music because it’s one embedded in the man himself.

“During the L.A. fires earlier this year I was right outside the evacuation zone but I still had the car packed,” he says. “I had my favorite microphone, my favorite guitar and a punk seven-inch record that meant a lot to me. I looked at my stuff and thought, ‘If this happens, I’ll still find happiness.’ There’s so much stuff in America that keeps people in this little check of comfort. It’s ‘just good enough.’”

Pink Mountaintops play at 8pm on Sept. 4 at The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Drive, Santa Cruz. $12 adv/$15 door.

Free Will Astrology

Astrology

Rob Brezsny

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September 3, 2025

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ARIES March 21-April 19

Austin Curtis was a prominent Black scientist whose work had spectacularly practical applications. Among his successes: He developed many new uses for peanut byproducts, including rubbing oils for pain relief. His work exploited the untapped potential of materials that others neglected or discarded. I urge you to adopt a similar strategy in the coming weeks, Aries: Be imaginative as you repurpose scraps and leftovers. Convert afterthoughts into useful assets. Breakthroughs could come from compost heaps, forgotten files or half-forgotten ideas. You have the power to find value where others see junk.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

In Polynesian navigation, sailors read the subtle rise and fall of ocean swells to find islands and chart their course. They also observe birds, winds, stars and cloud formations. The technique is called wayfinding. I invite you to adopt your own version of that strategy, Taurus. Trust waves and weather rather than maps. Authorize your body to sense the future in ways that your brain can’t. Rely more fully on what you see and sense rather than what you think. Are you willing to dwell in the not-knowingness? Maybe go even further: Be excited about dwelling in the not-knowingness. Don’t get fixated on plotting the whole journey. Instead, assume that each day’s signs will bring you the information you need.

GEMINI May 21-June 20

The umbrella thorn acacia is an African tree whose roots grow up to 115 feet deep to tap hidden water beneath the desert floor. Above ground, it may look like a scraggly cluster of green, but underground it is a masterpiece of reach and survival. I see you as having resemblances to this tree these days, Gemini. Others may only see your surface gestures and your visible productivity. But you know how deep your roots run and how far you are reaching to nourish yourself. Don’t underestimate the power of your attunement to your core. Draw all you need from that primal reservoir.

CANCER June 21-July 22

To make a tabla drum sing, the artisan adds a black patch of iron filings and starch at the center of the drumhead. Called a syahi, it creates complex overtones and allows the musician to summon both pitch and rhythm from the same surface. Let’s imagine, Cancerian, that you will be like that drum in the coming weeks. A spot that superficially looks out of place may actually be what gives your life its music. Your unique resonance will come not in spite of your idiosyncratic pressure points, but because of them. So don’t aim for sterile perfection. Embrace the irregularity that sings.

LEO July 23-Aug. 22

There’s a Zen motto: “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” I hope you apply that wisdom in the coming weeks, Leo. Your breakthrough moments of insight have come or will come soon. But your next move should not consist of being self-satisfied or inert. Instead, I hope you seek integration. Translate your innovations into your daily rhythm. Turn the happy accidents into enduring improvements. The progress that comes next won’t be as flashy or visible, but it’ll be just as crucial.

VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22

The Gross National Product (GNP) is a standard of economic success by which countries gauge their health. It reflects the world’s obsession with material wealth. But the Buddhist nation of Bhutan has a different accounting system: Gross National Happiness (GNH). It includes factors like the preservation of the environment, enrichment of the culture, and quality of governance. Here’s an example of how Bhutan has raised its GNH. Its scenic beauty could generate a huge tourist industry. But strict limits have been placed on the number of foreign visitors, ensuring the land won’t be trampled and despoiled. I would love to see you take a similar GNH inventory, Virgo. Tally how well you have loved and been loved. Acknowledge your victories and awakenings. Celebrate the beauty of your life.

LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22

In Japanese haiku, poets may reference the lingering scent of flowers as a metaphor for a trace of something vivid that continues to be evocative after the event has passed. I suspect you understand this quite well right now. You are living in such an after-scent. A situation, encounter or vision seems to have ended, but its echo is inviting you to remain attentive. Here’s my advice: Keep basking in the reverberations. Let your understandings and feelings continue to evolve. Your assignment is to allow the original experience to complete its transmission. The full blossoming needs more time to unfold.

SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21

In the Australian desert, there’s a phenomenon called desert varnish. It’s a thin, dark coating of clay, iron and manganese oxides. It forms over rocks due to microbial activity and prolonged exposure to wind and sun. Over time, these surfaces become canvases for Indigenous artists to create images. I like to think of their work as storytelling etched into endurance. In the coming weeks, Scorpio, consider using this marvel as a metaphor. Be alert for the markings of your own epic myth as they appear on the surfaces of your life. Summon an intention to express the motifs of your heroic story in creative ways. Show the world the wisdom you have gathered during your long, strange wanderings.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21

In Indigenous Australian lore, the Dreamtime is a parallel dimension overlapping the material world, always present and accessible through ritual and listening. Virtually all Indigenous cultures throughout history have conceived of and interacted with comparable realms. If you are open to the possibility, you now have an enhanced capacity to draw sustenance from this otherworld. I encourage you to go in quest of help and healing that may only be available there. Pay close attention to your dreams. Ask your meditations to give you long glimpses of the hidden magic.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Saturn is your ruling planet and archetype. In the old myth of the god Saturn, he rules time, which is not an enemy but a harvester. He gathers what has ripened. I believe the coming weeks will feature his metaphorical presence, Capricorn. You are primed to benefit from ripening. You are due to collect the fruits of your labors. This process may not happen in loud or dramatic ways. A relationship may deepen. A skill may get fully integrated. A long-running effort may coalesce. I say it’s time to celebrate! Congratulate yourself for having built with patience and worked through the shadows. Fully register the fact that your labor is love in slow motion.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18

In Greek mythology, the constellation Aquarius was linked to a heroic character named Ganymede. The great god Zeus made this beautiful man the cupbearer to the gods. And what drink did Ganymede serve? Ambrosia, the divine drink of immortality. In accordance with astrological omens, I’m inviting you to enjoy a Ganymede-like phase in the coming weeks. Please feel emboldened to dole out your gorgeous uniqueness and weirdness to all who would benefit from it. Let your singular authenticity pour out freely. Be an overflowing source of joie de vivre and the lust for life.

PISCES Feb. 19-March 20

In 1932, trailblazing aviator Amelia Earhart made a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic, steering through icy winds and mechanical trouble. When she landed, she said she had been “too busy” to be scared. This is an excellent motto for you now, Pisces: “too busy to be scared.” Not because you should ignore your feelings, but because immersion in your good work, mission and devotion will carry you through any momentary turbulence. You now have the power to throw yourself so completely into your purpose that fear becomes a background hum. Homework: Give yourself a second chance at a worthy goal! Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com

The Editor’s Desk

Brad Kava

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September 3, 2025

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

At a time when the powers that be think it’s a good thing to sell public spaces to oil companies, we’d better cherish what we have in the way of beautiful nature preserves.

And here’s our newest, the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument, which hiking master Richard Stockton thinks is so beautiful, it’s like a vision.

“Is there something special about this place, or are we hallucinating?” Stockton asked Zachary Ormsby, Bureau of Land Management field manager for the newly opened park.

“You’re good,” he answered. “The topography can have you in a well-protected corridor on those grasslands and then you come out of that and get a blast of wind. Loop One takes you in and out of a riparian depression and then you take a hard left at the base of the coastal terrace where the wind blows in off the ocean. Yeah, it is a special place; hiking here is what I do on my time off.”

Have you been yet? When I tell my friends the best things about Santa Cruz, of which there are so many, one of the first is that nature is preserved and sacred here. We can hop over to the preserved Marine Sanctuary or pop over in the other direction to giant redwood forests. A day doesn’t go by that I’m not thankful for it all.

I’ve lived all over the country and there’s nothing comparable. In New York, you have to be rich to access nature and you have to drive a lot. We would wake up at 5am to get to the beach without numbing traffic. And at what we called a beach, there were blasting boom boxes, people packed tight like it was Coachella, and vendors hawking their loose joints or junk food like it was Yankee Stadium.

Our nature here makes me feel like a millionaire on the cheap. Until you can get out to the Cotoni-Coast Dairies yourself, you can warm up with our cover story, which takes you on a hike and prepares you for your own. Clip it and save it as your personal guide.

One of my favorite seafood restaurants in Watsonville gets overlooked because it’s not on the ocean. But La Perla Del Pacifico has been a jewel of the Watsonville dining scene for the last 35 years. Its owners had only planned to stay a couple of years. Check out their story in our Foodie File by Andrew Steingrube.

In the not-good-times news department, after voters passed a bond to help Watsonville Hospital, a crucial health center in our growing county, now it’s threatened by federal cuts. It’s something we have to save for the whole county, which is already short of healthcare.

Who knew Martinelli’s cider has been here since before the Civil War, with its “drink your apple a day” catch phrase? You’ll learn more in Mark C. Anderson’s dining column.

Enjoy your shortened week and our real summer weather.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

GOOD VIBES The huge crowd of music lovers enjoying the final Midtown Summer Concert of 2025. Photograph by Maria Choy

GOOD IDEA

Do you make movies? Santa Cruz is having a Halloween movie-making contest with three categories: Horror Short Original, Horror Scene Remake Challenge and Halloween Music Video. Teams must be registered by Sept. 5, 11:59pm (1 minute before midnight). Films must be uploaded to YouTube before 11:59pm on Oct. 3. For rules and info, go to NelsonCenter.com This year’s required compulsory elements for the Original Horror Short: Name (a character or used in dialogue): Milo; Prop: Clock; Line of Dialogue: “Don’t forget to smile.” Sounds awesome.

GOOD WORK

The project to construct northbound and southbound auxiliary lanes and bus-on-shoulder improvements on Highway 1, between the Bay Avenue/Porter Street and State Park Drive interchanges, is ongoing and there are updates regarding the ramp closures.

The three Park Avenue ramps, which are currently closed, will REOPEN on Friday, Sept. 5, at 6am.

The long-term closure of the Bay Avenue/Porter Street ramps, which was originally scheduled to begin on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 9pm has been POSTPONED. A new date for the closure will be announced in advance of the construction.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

‘All governments suffer a recurring problem: power attracts pathological personalities.’ —Frank Herbert

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Things To Do This Week

GT Staff

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September 3, 2025

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THURSDAY 9/4

KLEZMER

DIMITRI GASKIN’S CALIFORNIA ORCHESTRA

Accomplished accordion player, composer and arranger Dmitri Gaskin presents a vibrant array of traditional Klezmer and Polish folk music. Known for his technical poise and artistic vision, Gaskin has won the ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Award for contemporary classical composition. Performing alongside several klezmer bands across California, including Baymele and Saul Goodman’s Klezmer Band, Gaskin has also arranged, produced and released an album of new Yiddish songs, Kosmopolitn, with his duo Tsvey Brider. Featuring jaunty rhythms and ritual melodies, Dmitri Gaskin’s California Orchestra will warm spirits with a glow reminiscent of old-world dance halls. SHELLY NOVO

INFO: 7pm, Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel, $25/adv, $30/door, 477-1341.

R&B

THE HEETERS

The creativity within the nine-man retro-soul outfit California Honeydrops is too big for one band. Even with the group’s prodigious output (more than a dozen albums to date), they have creativity to burn. So it is that three of the group’s members (drummer Beaumont Beaullieu, bassist Miles Blackwell and keyboardist Lorenzo Loera) have teamed up with guitarist/vocalist Tom Quell to form The Heeters. Songwriting is handled by the latter two, but The Heeters are a truly collaborative outfit. Santa Cruz-based rock/soul/samba trio Papiba & Friends is also on the bill. BILL KOPP

INFO: 8pm, Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 9/5

ROCK

ORCUTT SHELLEY MILLER

Back in the days before autotune and online production, incredible musicians from different, genre defining groups would get together and form a new band, utilizing their collective skills to synchronize into a supergroup. Bands like The Four Seasons, Cream, and Led Zeppelin fit the bill. The concept has mostly faded in recent years. Enter Orcutt Shelley Miller. This trio made up of Bill Orcutt (Harry Pussy), Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) and Ethan Miller (Comets on Fire/Howlin’ Rain) carries on the tradition with a psychedelic, jazz-infused blues rock that is one part Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsy, mixed with some Earthless and a whole dose of a unique flavor only Orcutt, Shelley and Miller can deliver. MAT WEIR

INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $28/adv, $32/door. 429-6994.

ART

SURF LIVE OAK

This pop-up exhibit features moments from local Live Oak surf history. Imagery of early surf shops, beloved surfboard manufacturers and treasured surf spots offer a nostalgic glimpse at vintage surf culture. Nestled between Santa Cruz and Capitola, Live Oak is characterized with quietness, but the Simpkins Family Swim Center seeks to unveil a plethora of stories about the local surf culture. Housing 20 surf manufacturers in the 1960s and 70s, Live Oak has a rich surf history. This retrospective look at Live Oak, in conjunction with Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History’s exhibition, “Princes of Surf,” will run through Jan. 25. SN

INFO: 3:30pm, Simpkins Family Swim Center, 979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 454-7960.

SATURDAY 9/6

FILM

OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL

Celebrating 12 years of educating people about Earth’s vast oceans and inspiring people to help protect them, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour is back in Santa Cruz. Through a curated selection of films from independent film makers, the annual event continues to showcase the beauty, power and wonder of the ocean. This year showcases three hours of films that will take the viewer on a deep dive into the ocean and into the lives of those who love it. From the casual weekend surfer to the most seasoned of ocean enthusiasts, all attendees can expect to develop a stronger connection and understanding of some of the ecosystems found in the ocean. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE

INFO: 7pm, Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $21. 423-8209.

SUNDAY 9/7

BLUES

FANTASTIC NEGRITO

With three Grammys to his name, a collaboration with Sting, and an NPR Tiny Desk Contest win, Fantastic Negrito is on the road celebrating his latest album, Son of A Broken Man, performing the music he calls “Black roots music for everyone,” an eclectic mix of R&B, soul and blues with touches of funk, folk, pop and other surprises. He has one of those voices that manages to impress and emote seemingly effortlessly, never sounding showy or false, and the self-taught musician’s songwriting is absolutely top notch. Sgt. Splendor opens. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN

INFO: 8pm, Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. $30. 704-7113.

MONDAY 9/8

LATIN

PACIFIC MAMBO ORCHESTRA

This Grammy-winning, 20-piece orchestra spices up life with Latin flavors of salsa, cha cha, bachata and whatever else they want and simmer it into a deliciously layered musical mole for the ears. Hailing from San Francisco, the Pacific Mambo Orchestra not only writes originals but also covers an array of modern classics like the “Pink Panther” theme, Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Night in Tunisia.” MW

INFO: 7pm, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $52-$58. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 9/9

ROCK

YOUNG THE GIANT

The members of Irvine, California’s Young the Giant debuted with their 2010 self-titled album. That release charted in five counties and earned the band a Gold record in the U.S. Since then, the band has found more success via its singles; to date no less than 14 Young the Giant singles have made it to the Top 40 on Billboard’s Adult Pop, Rock and/or Alternative Airplay charts. Boasting a lineup largely unchanged from 15 years ago, the group’s latest release is 2022’s American Bollywood, That record features two hit singles, “Wake Up” and “The Walk Home.” BK

INFO: 7pm, Quarry Amphitheater, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. $69. 459-4184.

WEDNESDAY 9/10

EMO

SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE

Sharing members with the Foo Fighters, Sunny Day Real Estate break up and get back together frequently. It’s a good idea to catch them when they are in the ON phase of their on again/off again cycle, as one of these days the breakup may stick, though they have been managing to come together in various forms to record and tour since they first formed in the early ’90s in Seattle, where they somehow managed to avoid being grouped in with the exploding grunge scene and instead found themselves a founding force in the Midwest emo scene, far from home. Cursive joins them on their 2025 tour. KLJ

INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $50. 713-5492.

Letters

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

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September 3, 2025

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MORE TRAILBLAZERS!

I commend you on many of your selections for the “Top 50 Trailblazers.” What a history lesson! Santa Cruz County has nurtured some exciting and rare talents. Of course, a list like this is going to bring out the question, who was left off?

Perhaps you could do another issue of 50 more trailblazers and include those who really should be on the list. The current list is filled with overt political choices and that should be stated in the brief lead-up paragraphs to the piece. For example, why Ryan Coonerty and Cynthia Mathews, but not Celia Scott and Katherine Beiers? If Fred Keeley is there, certainly former Mayor Mardi Wormhoudt belongs on this list. Why include writer Geoff Dunn, but not Santa Cruz historians Sandy Lydon, Ross Gibson and Bruce Bratton?

Yep, lots of savory and unsavory political choices are being made here, you should acknowledge it. Where is musician and super music promoter Michael Horne? Peace activists Sherry Conable, Doug Rand and Ruth Hunter surely have all had lasting impacts on Santa Cruz, as well as Raging Granny Jan Harwood. You rightly included street artist and bubble aficionado Tom Noddy, but what about those others who make us happy every time we’ve gone downtown over the past 50 years: The Great Morgani, the Flying Karamazov brothers, UCSC Acapella, Singing Wood Marimba, Mr. Twister and humanitarian Curtis Reliford.

I agree on the greatness of academics like Norman O. Brown and Donna Haraway, but should Bettina Aptheker, Bill Domhoff and Paul Lee be included? I am proud to call home where poet Adrienne Rich did too, but certainly Morton Marcus, Nate Mackey and Gary Young have also had profound influences on our county. I urge you, have another Trailblazer edition and include the 50 that were left off your current list.

Chris Krohn | Santa Cruz

FAKE NEWS

A few days ago I received a glossy four-page “voter Information” flyer in the mail. I immediately saw a quote attributed to the president of the League of Women Voters, an organization of high integrity. I was confused. She seemed to oppose the redirecting measure that will be on our ballots this Nov. 4. The League has issued a denial of having anything to do with the group that mailed the flyer and unequivocally states that this was a false report. Consumer beware. I was fooled by this malicious hit piece from a creepy group funded by billionaire conservative Charles Munger, Jr. He has been influencing and spinning California ballot propositions in favor of Republicans for the past 20 years. My takeaway is to read anything mailed, online, texted, etc., twice or more and find out who’s behind it before sharing the information or deciding how to vote.

Timmi Pereira | Santa Cruz

STILL MORE TRAILBLAZERS

I enjoyed the list of awesome people that helped make Santa Cruz great.

However, you omitted some Cruzans, those in the healthcare field, especially 50-70 years ago. These folks made it possible for the other folks to do what they did.

Carl Washburn | Santa Cruz

LOVE YA, SANDY!

I am saddened to see that you have left out the “History Dude,” Sandy Lydon, who has gathered and shared so much of everything Santa Cruz. His classes and trips have been a joy for thousands. Please mention him.

Pat McVeigh | Santa Cruz

Mountain Roots

Wellness

John Koenig

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September 3, 2025

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There’s shopping local—and then there’s going right to the roots. When your dollars go straight to the makers, you’re not just supporting the community—you’re fueling it.

As I gear up for the Santa Cruz Wellness Expo this September, I’ve been thinking a lot about that second kind of local, knowing we’re a community deeply rooted in wellbeing. And, as it happens, I was also in the market for something specific: a topical pain relief cream. After five straight days of yoga, paired with long hours at the computer, my “mousing arm” was letting me know it needed some TLC.

That’s when a search for local herbal remedies led me to the Be Rooted Botanicals website, where I discovered a community-focused Felton-based company making organic products that sounded intriguing. My excitement doubled when I recognized a familiar face from her years as wellness product manager at New Leaf on the West Side. I’d recently reconnected with Pam at another health-focused event, and I knew she had the kind of credibility you can trust.

So I decided to stop by—unannounced—at Be Rooted’s small workspace near Wild Roots Market on Highway 9. Having just missed Pam, who was heading out for a time-sensitive delivery, I was greeted by company founder Molly, who runs the business alongside sister Kate and team member Sylvia. The four women are on a first-name basis with everyone they meet—literally.

I explained that I had two reasons for visiting: I was covering local wellness news, and I was on a personal mission for pain relief. Luckily, both goals intersected perfectly in a product she recommended: Molly’s Cream.

From Hobby to High Demand

Molly’s journey with herbs stretches back to the 1990s. After college, she began experimenting with balms, salves and soaps, eventually landing a job in the cannabis industry. But when recreational cannabis became legal in California, the market shifted, and her employer’s business closed.

She suggested a pivot to CBD products—after all, the process of cooking flowers and extracting oils was already in place—but the idea was declined. “That’s when I decided to start my own company,” she told me.

Working at Felton Nutrition, she met Pam, and the two began exploring the possibilities of CBD. In the early days, few people knew what it was, and it came with a hefty price tag. Education was key. Then, one day, Molly overheard two older women in a coffee shop talking about how CBD cream was amazing for pain relief—without getting you high. “That’s when I knew the time was right,” she said.

Her CBD-arnica blend cream was a novelty in the market, and demand grew quickly. Stores began stocking it, and within a year Molly was able to quit her day job. The team expanded, the product line grew, and even an NBA championship team (whose name remains confidential) became a customer.

Magic of Magnesium

Like all trends, CBD’s moment eventually began to level off. That’s when Molly and her team saw an opportunity in another healing powerhouse: magnesium chloride. Less sexy than CBD but just as vital, magnesium is key to relaxation, muscle recovery, skin health, digestion and cardiovascular support.

Unlike most magnesium products made from Epsom salts, BeRooted’s magnesium chloride is sourced from the ocean. And while magnesium supplements can cause digestive upset, transdermal absorption—through the skin—avoids that issue while working quickly and effectively.

The team’s new magnesium line includes products for pain, inflammation and post-workout recovery, with fans ranging from chiropractors to athletes to wellness spas. One version blends arnica, comfrey and castor oil for a CBD-free alternative to Molly’s Cream.

In response to my favorite question—“What’s next?”—Molly lit up. “We want to make more skincare and face care products. My sister and I already make them for ourselves and give them as gifts—that’s how we test things. We create the products we want to use.”

True to form, I didn’t leave empty-handed. Back in my car, I rubbed Molly’s Cream into my sore arm and shoulder. By the time I arrived home, the aching had eased. Later, during my evening vinyasa class, I found myself silently thanking Be Rooted for making local feel personal again.

The Santa Cruz Wellness Expo is coming Sept. 20 to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. Learn more at ElizabethBorelli.com. For information on Molly’s Cream, visit BeRootedBotanicals.com.

Major Casino Resort Coming to Geyserville

Gambling

Rob Chalhoub

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September 3, 2025

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Major Casino Resort Coming to Geyserville

Published in cooperation between cardplayer and Good Times

A groundbreaking ceremony this August marked the start of construction on what will become Sonoma County’s largest gaming resort. Caesars Entertainment and the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians have teamed up for a $300 million project that will replace River Rock Casino with Caesars Republic Sonoma County by summer 2027.

The new facility will sit on the same Highway 101 location but will bear little resemblance to the current tent-style casino. Plans call for a four-story resort with over 1,000 slot machines, 28 table games and a 100-room hotel. The property will also house a spa, pool, fitness center, steakhouse, Asian restaurant, wine bar, sports bar and several casual dining options.

California’s gambling market continues expanding through multiple channels. Californians can access online casinos in California that feature extensive game libraries and rapid payout processing throughout the state. In addition to online options, tribal casinos provide comprehensive destination experiences with lodging, dining and entertainment. More than 60 Native American gaming facilities currently operate across California. Caesars brings corporate expertise and national marketing capabilities to this established sector.

Dayna Calkins from Caesars Entertainment said the project fits the company’s Republic brand approach, where each location reflects its regional character. The Republic properties in Scotts Valley and Lake Tahoe preceded this Sonoma County expansion. Caesars President and COO Anthony Carano said wine country’s natural scenery and sophisticated tourist base made ideal conditions for expanding the Republic brand.

The Dry Creek Rancheria started gaming operations at this spot back in the early 2000s. Tribal Chairman Chris Wright said the Caesars deal marks a major step forward for the tribe’s 1,300 members, with most living in Sonoma County. The partnership lets the tribe stay in control while tapping into Caesars’ experience running casinos and their player networks.

Financial backing comes from Citizens Financial Group, with Gaming and Leisure Properties providing real estate investment. This project represents one of the largest tribal casino developments Northern California has undertaken recently. Construction will proceed while River Rock continues operations, maintaining employment and revenue during the development period.

Wine country visitors have been looking for bigger vacation packages lately. People want more than just wine tasting and touring vineyards these days. The new resort gives them a place to stay for several days while they check out different parts of the region. Local tourism officials view the project as complementary to existing wine businesses rather than competitive.

The gaming floor will be substantially larger than the current River Rock facility. With over 1,000 slot machines, it will rank among the bigger casino floors in Northern California. The 28 table games will include blackjack, poker and other popular options. California law prohibits certain games like craps and roulette at tribal casinos, but the property will offer the full range of permitted options.

Hotel amenities target overnight visitors who want to combine gaming with wine country activities. The 100 rooms will feature modern furnishings and vineyard views. The spa and fitness center aim to attract non-gaming guests as well. Pool areas will provide outdoor relaxation space with the Alexander Valley as a backdrop.

Restaurant variety reflects both gaming customer expectations and wine country dining standards. The steakhouse will cook high-end beef and pour wine from local vineyards. Japanese restaurants will make sushi and other dishes. The wine bar will stock bottles from Sonoma County wineries plus other areas. Sports bars and casual dining will round out the food options.

The Dry Creek Rancheria previously operated the casino independently but sought a partner to compete with larger regional gaming destinations. Caesars brings loyalty programs that span multiple states, marketing budgets that can reach potential customers throughout California and operational systems refined across dozens of properties.

Native American casinos now play a major role in California’s economy. California’s Native American gaming operations provide jobs for over 184,000 workers and bring in more than $34 billion each year across 60 casino locations. The Caesars Republic project will add to those numbers while positioning the Dry Creek Rancheria for long-term success.

Construction timeline targets completion by summer 2027. River Rock will stay open until the new casino finishes, then everything switches over to the bigger building. They’ll knock down the old place after that, maybe turning that land into more amenities or parking lots. The resort sits in a good spot to compete with other California casinos while staying close to wine country tourist routes.

The new resort could boost business throughout the county. People staying overnight might eat at local restaurants, visit tasting rooms or book rooms at other hotels. Caesars has customer lists that could bring new tourists to wine country who never thought about coming before.

This whole project puts wine country to the test on whether it can handle a big casino without losing what makes it special. Local leaders seem happy so far, saying it adds to tourism instead of hurting existing businesses. If this works out, other tribes and big casino companies might team up on similar projects around California.

Words and Music

Performance

Christina Waters

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September 3, 2025

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Plan to be dazzled by the Santa Cruz Symphony’s 68th concert season, starting in October with Rimsky-Korsakov’s dreamy Scheherazade, featuring the violin of Artist-in-Residence Nancy Zhou. The entire year is filled with orchestral music that is both accessible and thrilling, including November’s The Planets by Gustav Holst, the December Holiday Pops Nutcracker Suite, and in March the Family Concert, a week of educational programming culminating in the brilliant Carnival of the Animals, complete with an instrument “petting zoo” afterwards, where children will get introduced to a variety of musical instruments.

In late March the actors of Santa Cruz Shakespeare will once again join the Symphony for a blend of Mozart’s music with narration from Peter Shaffer’s play, Amadeus. Rounding out the season is Beethoven’s majestic Symphony No. 9, which will showcase the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus and its brand-new director. Join fellow music-lovers and maestro Daniel Stewart for many evenings of great live music performed at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium and the Henry Mello Center. Given the ongoing funding cuts to the arts in this country, now is exactly the time for you to make your plans to keep symphonic music alive and robust in our town. santacruzsymphony.org

Inter/Action With a Poet

A maverick poet and rodeo queen, part Walt Whitman, part Patti Smith, Dion O’Reilly will read from her latest collection, Limerance. With her cowboy boots, Cyndi Lauper hair and movie star glasses, this exciting Santa Cruz/Seattle-based poet is a performance even before she speaks. The event, Inter/Act Spoken Word, takes place Sept. 16 at Satori Arts, 815 Almar, No. 9, Santa Cruz. dionoreilly.com/events

**POETIC MOMENTS** Dion O’Reilly will read from her latest collection, ‘Limerance,’ on Sept. 16. Photo: Contributed

Mini-Playwriting With a Pro

From prolific writer, director, teacher, poet and playwright Wilma Marcus Chandler comes the chance to tackle your ideas for creating a short play. Specifically, Writing Your 10-Minute Play, the title of a four-part workshop that begins on Sept. 20.

Ten-minute play festivals began on the East Coast with Actors’ Theatre of Louisville and on the West Coast with Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre. Since then they’ve blossomed all over the country. If your inner playwright has ideas, this workshop might be just the ticket. Workshop topics include Developing Your Ideas, Characters, Plot line, Settings, Style and Genre, plus Pitfalls, Formatting, Table Reads, Submission Opportunities. The real nitty-gritty stuff. The playwright shares her perspective on the mini-play phenomenon:

GT: Why are ten-minute plays so popular?

WMC: They fulfill several needs. In one evening of ten-minute plays, they can offer a wide variety of experiences, a diverse array of audience reactions and responses, such as humor, pathos, mystery, etc., and they create the opportunity to see many different actors, directors and playwrights at work.

Do they attract larger audiences than full-length properties?

Theater itself has always attracted audiences to see the immediacy and risk of action on stage. Both are loved.

Were you a writer of short plays before the Actors’ Theatre seasons began?

Yes. The Actors’ Theatre adopted the ten-minute format from work we had done at Cabrillo College for many years, starting in the 1980s with many Dream Theater shows and one-act play events. We owe gratitude to the Actors’ Theater of Louisville for spearheading this entire idea.

What do you love about these tiny gems? As a viewer, and as a playwright?

In both capacities, I envision each ten-minute play as a window into a situation or circumstance that is “in progress.” We are ushered into that state of affairs and share in its unfolding.

How are ten-minute works more effective than long plays? What can they do, and how does their impact work?

I would not say they are more effective. Both are powerful and fruitful. Both are legitimate conveyors of life experiences, of hearing and witnessing people speaking to each other and resolving situations and unexpected crises. The value and perhaps the popularity of the ten-minute play, however, is that we see many experiences in one evening. We are into the center of each one immediately.

Chandler’s workshop takes place over four Saturdays, Sept. 20–Oct. 11, 11am–12:30pm, at the Actors’ Theatre, 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz. $50. Email sc**************@***il.com.

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Pesticide Reality Tour

Framing the Band

High Art

Playing Live

The Editor’s Desk

Letters

Brew Chew

Baby Food

Return of the Mason Jar

Soothing Waters

Go Tell It on the Pink Mountaintops

Free Will Astrology

The Editor’s Desk

PHOTO CONTEST

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Letters

Mountain Roots

Major Casino Resort Coming to Geyserville

Words and Music

Return of the Mason Jar

Soothing Waters

Go Tell It on the Pink Mountaintops

Free Will Astrology

The Editor’s Desk

Things to do in Santa Cruz

Letters

Mountain Roots

Major Casino Resort Coming to Geyserville

Words and Music