Not to disparage the 50 honorees in your list, but Celia Scott, always supported by her husband, UCSC Physics Professor Peter, surely deserves a place for her years-long leadership of the efforts to secure the magnificent greenbelt that surrounds Santa Cruz, from Pogonip and Lighthouse Field up the coast to the Moore Creek Preserve, Wilder/Gray Whale State Parks and Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument.
Starting in the 1970s, Celia led the campaigns to keep these cherished lands from development, and to insulate Santa Cruz from the urban sprawl that affects the Santa Clara Valley.
A city planner and an attorney, Celia helped win passage of the California Coastal Act in 1972. As a Santa Cruz City Council member, mayor and force behind the local Friends of the North Coast organization, as State Sen. John Laird wrote after her death last year at 89, “I cannot recall a major environmental issue in Santa Cruz that she was not involved in.”
Those issues included the ban on offshore oil drilling and the creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
As you jog along West Cliff, whale watch on the Bay, ride the trails at Wilder/Gray Whale or hike at Cotoni-Coast Dairies, imagine what Santa Cruz would be like with Lighthouse Field the site of a convention center, a town of 30,000 on Wilder Ranch, and our new national monument cut up into several dozen parcels dominated by huge mansions. All real possibilities! That we and generations of our descendants are now and forever will be able to enjoy these precious lands preserved in their natural state is thanks to no one more than Celia Scott. She should not only have been on your list, but at the top.
Ted Benhari | Bonny Doon
WELCOME TO THE NEW HOTEL
La Bahia Hotel has finally opened, finally, despite the vitriolic opposition over the years from a cabal of obstructionists who used the issue to fuel their personal political agendas. The new structure fits in beautifully on Beach Street between the Wharf and Boardwalk. The original building with its bell tower has been meticulously restored. More importantly, the hotel provides jobs for many local people, even from the adjacent neighborhood, and brings in tax revenue to support municipal services. And, of course, visitors will spend money in locally owned small businesses. Standing on the Wharf, the forested mountains are clearly in view, contrary to the hyperbole from the opposition. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this project.
Robert deFreitas | Santa Cruz
BONDS ARE NOT A GIFT
The people who live in the Pajaro Valley School District have voted for bond measures for infrastructure improvements in our schools. These improvements are long overdue. Bonds are not gifts. They are essentially loans that need to be paid back by the taxpayers. I was shocked that in the Sept. 10 PVUSD board meeting my trustee, Joy Flynn, had to ask what a bond is. She is a voter in the district. Did she not know then what she was voting for? Now she gets to vote how the money is spent. How can the people of our district trust the board to make good decisions with such incompetent people sitting there?
Who says the government never does anything tasty?
In 2004, the California State Legislature designated September as California Wine Month.
So—yes, math majors—this is the year that the month turns old enough to drink. (And, BTW, the wine-stacked Golden State turns 175.)
Here appear three divergent—and character-rich—ways to mark the occasion, in order from mo$$$t to lea$t.
1. Buy a barrel and do vinotherapy.
I had to include this for its uniqueness. But that applies to the other entries too. For the coastal climate cool price of $30,000, couples can do the Carmel Valley and Vine Escape at Bernardus Lodge & Spa, where Dream Inn Exec Chef Gus Trejo now runs the kitchen. That includes a vineyard tour and ceremony to place a personalized plaque on one’s own row of vines, private cellar tours and tastings, dinner in the vineyard under the stars curated by Trejo, vinotherapy spa treatments, an entire barrel of Bernardus wine (336 bottles, with one case labeled to the guest’s adopted vine and the rest featuring a custom special label). Go big/go for broke/go for it!
2. Go little then go home (happy).
This reps a spiritual and literal counterpoint to the Bernardus package: The Margins Wine Cubby is so modest in size that if you squint you can feel like you’re inside a wine barrel, in a comfortable way. The best part about this Westside treasure are the intriguing vinos curated by Megan Bell—on our visit, a fresh Paicines Verdejo, juicy Rosy Wake blend and memorable Grenache, among others—upped by energy from the blossoming tasting team of one and empanadas from next door Fonda Felix. When The New York Times’ Eric Asimov highlighted after our visit, writing, “I’ve never had a Margins wine that I haven’t liked a lot,” that provided FUNctional affirmation.
3. Get catty with your Cabernet.
I love Wine Enthusiast contributor Jeff Bogle for this story idea (“The Ultimate Guide to Pairing Wine with Cats—Yes, Cats”), and that admiration amplifies with the project that helped inspire it (Street Cats & Where to Find Them: The Most Feline-Friendly Cities and Attractions Around the World). Bogle checks in with wine experts on the way to highlighting how we can be better examples of our species by pairing cats with varietals rather than food—Maine coons with mourvédre, Siamese and sparkling, ragdolls with chardonnay, etc.—while dropping dimes like with the “Tortie: Petit Verdot” mini chapter “just as these bottlings boast a deep color (dark purple), these kitties are just as richly hued.”
My closing thought: Cats don’t belong to us any more than wines “belong” to the winemaker. Both feline and vine are the product of nature, gently guided to not eat us alive.
QUALITY CALORIES
About a cork’s throw from the Wine Cubby (see #2, above) sits the dynamic Izakaya West End space (328 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz)—long known as West End Tap & Kitchen—which closed mid-summer so its owner-operators could focus on Tortilla Shack and East End Gastropub in Capitola. Both the landlord and later the new tenant have been cagey about details, but I have learned who they are, and that’s promising in and of itself: Manresa Bread, the celebrated baking team with multiple outposts, including one right next door…Drop your line in the waters quick, as the latest Get Hooked! flavor-forward/local fisherfolk-supporting/fly-restaurant collaboration happens a day after this land on newsstands, with Pete’s in Capitola hosting to support Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust efforts to keep local seafood alive. petescapitola.com/events-1/event-one-smywg…Permaculture Santa Cruz is looking to fill two new full-time job openings, sales manager and crop production manager, and its Harvest Dinner approaches Oct. 12, santacruzpermaculture.com…Vampire Ball at Chaminade Resort—21+ costume party with cash bar, heavy bites buffet, bloodsucking DJ, fortune tellers, fire dancing, costume prizes and endless IG photo opps—happens Oct. 24, $50 pre-sale, chaminade.com/things-to-do-santa-cruz/vampire-ball/…
From “Showerthoughts” on Reddit: “Trying to get all the groceries into the house in a single load is both lazy and ambitious.”
Of all the things to celebrate about life in Santa Cruz—nature, culture, the beach—we haven’t given enough credit to our great dive bars. They are more than just drinking spots, but places where, you know, everyone is a friend you have or haven’t met yet and yeah, everyone knows your name. Cheers.
Richard Stockton set out to hit quite a few of them and not only drink in each, but check out the bathrooms. Not in a pervy way, of course, but let’s face it, if you are drinking in volume, you are releasing in volume also, and to do it in a clean, comfortable place means a lot. Back in the old days, cleanliness wasn’t that big a priority, but it is now.
Maybe you want to get an Uber or a DD and follow Richard’s trail and have a drink in each bar. I want to. Bring them this issue and hand it to the bartenders. Or leave it in the bathroom.
Richard, who is literally a comedian (there’s a story about him in this issue), has a way of meeting people and getting their stories in print. I love that and hope you will too.
In other fronts, there’s a new big health and wellness fair coming up at the MAH this weekend, the opposite of your dive bar journey. Here’s a chance to sample all the newest in the wellness world. Check Kristen McLaughlin’s story for your health trip.
Maybe you caught Ruthie Foster at the Santa Cruz Blues Festival years back. She’s a big name around the country and she’s returning here to play Moe’s Alley this week. As our article says: “10 studio albums in, Foster has developed a rich voice that lives at the crossroads of gospel, blues, soul and country and has garnered her six Grammy nominations, with the most recent being a win for Best Contemporary Blues Album by way of 2024’s Mileage.”
It doesn’t get much bigger than that.
So much news in the Cruz is about tradeoffs. We want housing, but are conflicted about big buildings; we want solar and wind power, but are conflicted about the lithium batteries needed to store the energy.
Our top news story this week has another conflict: we want to catch criminals, and roadside cameras are a tool that helps catch them, but we worry that the technology will be used for more devious purposes, like turning immigrants in to ICE or violating personal freedoms. Todd Guild has the story for you.
Have you ever wondered what wine pairs best with your cat? (No, not to eat.) You are going to have to check out Mark C. Anderson’s dining column for the answer to that one.
Thanks for reading.
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
WILD RIDE Shot of a pelican, taken on the wharf by the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Photograph by Davis Banta
GOOD IDEA
The Promised Land Brewery in Gilroy developed a new craft beer called “The Wave,” after “Krazy” George Henderson, the man who invented the act that has been popular in stadiums across the country since 1981.
Owner and brewer Brian Schwab said a chance meeting with Krazy George in Los Gatos led to the idea. Later, Henderson came to the Gilroy brewery and loved the beer. Henderson said at Britannia Arms in Capitola, where they held a release party on Sept. 6, “I thought he was joking. Two days later he called me and already had the label designed. It’s amazing.”
GOOD WORK
You can support the Homeless Garden Project and have fun doing it.
The Sustain Supper on Oct. 18 is a farm-to-table fundraising event that supports trainees and programs. The supper celebrates and supports the work of trainees through a festive four-course farm dinner. Guests include acclaimed poet Jane Hirshfield as the keynote speaker and renowned chef Jozseph Schultz of India Joze. As always, the evening will feature live music, wines and beverages, a guided farm tour, and more.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
‘It is not the job of law enforcement or government agencies to police thought.’
—John Cohen, an intelligence official who worked in the Biden, Obama and Bush administrations
What is a dive bar? If you ask a Santa Cruzan to define the term, they won’t answer about dive bars in general—they will start talking about their personal dive bar. Therein lies the definition. All the bar owners, all the bar staff, all the bar regulars, they all talk about it being their family, their community and their dive bar.
For this story, I checked out six classic dive bars in Santa Cruz, restrooms included, and drank a beer in each of them. See what I do for you? As for the objectivity of my reporting, alcohol can make me hallucinate, so read at your own peril.
Six Deep Santa Cruz Dives
“It’s one of the cooler things we have. We still have dive bars.” —Brad Kava, Good Times
In other towns, dive bars may be dismissed as gritty watering holes, relics of a bygone era, even somehow unsafe. In Santa Cruz, they are the quiet heartbeats of local communities that preserve something authentic and rare. (Our neighbor to the south, Carmel, is scheduled to lose both of its only dive bars.) As Santa Cruz rattles through explosive high-rise change, dive bars become defiant testaments to the unique flavor of our neighborhoods: well-lubricated gatherings for social interaction, exchange of ideas, and for the exchange of fluids, mostly bottled but sometimes personal.
There are signs in Santa Cruz that say, “Nuclear-free zone”; others say, “Hate-free zone.” I think the dozens of dive bars in Santa Cruz County should have signs that say, “Pretense-free zone.” In the breakneck gentrification of Santa Cruz that rushes toward curated experience, Santa Cruz dive bars are places where people of all classes and backgrounds can gather without making any claim at all. A dive bar is where you are welcome, where you don’t need a reservation, where you can wear what you want, where bartenders pride themselves on remembering what you drink. They are radically accessible, often cash-only, neon-lit adult spaces that value conversation and connection over glittery consumerism.
Good Times writer and Blue Lagoon bartender Mat Weir says a dive bar is your home away from home. “It’s where everybody knows your name and you’re always glad you came.” There are dozens of cool dive bars in Santa Cruz County, from Joe’s Bar in Boulder Creek to the Wooden Nickel in Watsonville, but space for this story limits my review to six. I invite you to join me for a drink and a restroom stop at six of these stubborn Santa Cruz sanctuaries of local soul, and of course, we’ll start at Brady’s.
Overheard at Brady’s Yacht Club
I stand behind a man who looks houseless, and by his weathered skin, I suspect his stack of quarters and crumpled one-dollar bills on the bar are from a morning panhandling session. He carries a sign that says, “Will Stop Singing for Money.”
Down the bar stands a stunning woman, next to an equally handsome green-eyed man. They have yet to lubricate, and dialogue is sparse.
He holds up two fingers, “Two Budweisers.”
She holds up two fingers, “I’ll have two Budweisers too.”
He bursts out laughing.
She pulls her platinum blond hair back and says, “I’m afraid people will think I’m loud and brassy.”
He says, “You are loud and brassy.”
She yells, “Fuck you!”
They drink the four cans and start sharing life stories over shots. Love blooms at Brady’s.
Brady’s Yacht Club (established 1933)
413 Seabright Ave.
No one who owns a yacht goes to Brady’s Yacht Club.
Brady’s is the most revered and reviled dive bar in Santa Cruz, depending on where in someone’s drinking arc you question them. Brady’s once had a menu favorite called Ass Juice, which came with a warning not to drink it. It is famous for low prices and heavy pours. From the opening bell at 10am until closing at 2am, you will find a community of Seabright neighbors intent upon getting their brain cells down to a number they can manage.
Brady’s began as a speakeasy in the 1920s, serving drinks when Prohibition made alcohol illegal. It officially obtained a liquor license in 1933 and was a gathering place for the fishing fleet and contractors, a “man’s man” bar. It added bikers and beach goers in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s and today, college students and locals make it a chill place.
Karen Madura is the triple crown owner/operator of Brady’s Yacht Club, The Jury Room and The Rush Inn. Madura moved to Santa Cruz to go to UCSC, got her bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology, and her obsession with social connections goes deep.
“We’re people,” she says. “What makes the world go around is how we treat each other.” She tells me that over the last 20 years she has seen marriages, divorces, deaths, hook-ups, flings, new friendships, breakups and births: “The full gamut of the human condition. It’s beautiful.”
When she adds that the birth was not actually in her bar, I’m reminded of my uncle Joe, who had a dive bar in Arvin, California, the town Bakersfield makes fun of. He told me that a woman gave birth on his bar’s pool table. I only wish I could have been there to put a quarter in the jukebox to play “Mama Tried.”
Madura says, “It’s really important to be able to go and sit down next to your neighbor and have face-to-face conversations in an adult space, where people get to go and be humans next to each other.” On a mission of community, Brady’s hosts events like the Aug. 10 Swampfest; they had six bands from noon until late, water balloon tosses, Swampball, and a raffle benefiting the Walnut Avenue Women & Family Center. They will partner with the Jury Room for their next charity target, the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter.
RESTROOM:
The Brady’s men’s restroom is sparkling clean. I shit you not. The sink, urinal and commode are absolutely spotless. I get a slight whiff of Clorox so I suspect it has just been cleaned. Nevertheless, it is cleaner than my bathroom at home.
Beer One for me at Brady’s is a white, and there’s nothing better than the first swallow. Each subsequent swallow may be chasing the feeling of the first one, but it is a worthy pursuit. No matter how my day had been going, it just got better.
BEHIND THE BLUE DOOR Brady’s Yacht Club began as a speakeasy in the 1920s. PHOTO: Richard Stockton
Blue Lagoon (established 1986)
923 Pacific Ave.
The Blue Lagoon is open from 4pm until 1:30am with a Happy Hour from 4 to 9. It originally gained fame as the region’s primary gay nightspot. Clientele has diversified but it maintains a celebrating gay presence.
The Blue has a well-worn, funky ambiance and, depending on the night, a selection of music that spans genres from hip-hop and goth/industrial to spun beats. It includes two dance floors, a free pool table and a fish tank. There is even an open mic/showcase comedy night on Tuesdays. Whether you’re there for the potent drinks, the often-excellent quality of music, or to meet or make friends, the place does tend to stick in your memory.
Keeping afloat in the Lagoon
Mat Weir jokes that the Blue Lagoon is a leaky pirate ship that the bar staff must constantly work on to keep afloat. “Equipment, the floors, whatever is broken we have to do it ourselves, tasks that are often out of our wheelhouse or above our pay grade. I just redid the speed walls in front of the serving stations where we keep like the well house liquor. We’re always fixing the PA system because of the volume of the music.”
For both Mat and Karen, serving their local communities comes first. One project she’s involved with are the coasters that can indicate if a drink has been spiked with a drug. “You put a drop of your drink on the coaster and it’s pretty accurate about detecting a drug.” Mat tells me there is a new California law where bars must provide some sort of cover for the drinks, and he tells his clients, “Never let your drink out of your sight. If you think someone may have tampered with your drink, tell the bartender and ask if you could please have another.”
These neighborhood bars are so popular, I was surprised when Mat said that with the uncertainty of the economy, with the tariffs, and with the bullshit going on with the government, people either aren’t spending as much, or if they are, they’re not tipping. He says a lot of Gen Z is sober.
“Which makes it tough for us. A lot of people are vaping or on edibles and they’re not drinking. With the decriminalization of mushrooms, a lot of people are microdosing who might come in but not drink. You might have a big room full of people with six people at the bar drinking.” Weir also sees change in clientele happening as a lot of people just can’t afford to live in Santa Cruz anymore. “It’s important that we all gather together to keep our community going,” he says.
Bella Bedford is a manager at Motiv (not a dive bar) and she tells me that people under 30 want a more active scene, they want to dance. “Dancing is kind of the main appeal, because honestly, I don’t know what else it would be, because drinks are cheaper at dive bars.”
I saw a lot of older folks in all six bars, and I think maybe younger people just want their own damn space. How much time does a Gen Z really want to spend giving a Boomer that long, intentional stare?
RESTROOM:
As for the Blue’s men’s restroom, I’ve seen a dirtier floor in the main room of a Starbucks. True, if you drop a French fry on the floor, nobody but a starving person would opt for the five-second rule. That said, the Blue Lagoon men’s restroom floor looks and smells OK, and the commode worked fine. I did a squat and sniffed. See what I do for you?
Beer Two elevates me to endless possibilities. If I had money, I could get a tattoo over these stitches. If I had a wheelchair with a motor, I could ride to LA and surprise my second ex-wife.
WATERING HOLE The Blue Lagoon offers well-worn, funky ambiance and genre-spanning music. PHOTO: Richard Stockton
Jury Room (established circa 1968)
712 Ocean St.
Open from 6am to 2am, The Jury Room has a free pool table and a storied history. It used to be a cop bar. Legendary owner and bartender Marv Easterby owned and operated The Jury Room for 23 years, and he continued tending after Karen Madura purchased it. Easterby said, “If I had 40 customers at once, I bet you 25 of them would’ve been off-duty law enforcement.”
The Jury Room logo is a skull pierced by two gavels, and there are strings of purple and green lights above the bar. A man wears a T-shirt that has a Santa Cruz Metro quote on it: “Some bars are labeled dives, the Jury Room is an expedition to the ocean floor.” I order a Blue Moon, which they don’t have, but I’m served a white beer that is even better. I’m beginning to love this place.
In addition to the loyal regulars, the bedrock of any dive bar, Madura offers unique hours; they open at 6am for the all-night shift getting off work. Mark, the bartender, tells me that they almost continuously put on charity fundraisers. For the next one they are going to partner with Brady’s, party like crazy people, sell merchandise, do raffles, put on shows from rock to burlesque, and from the money stuck to the ceiling to the tips on the bar, it will all go to the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter. All of it.
RESTROOM:
Yeah. The Jury Room men’s room isn’t the cleanest in town, but it works. If you are so anal-retentive that you don’t enjoy your trip to the relief station, the whole dive bar experience may not be for you anyway.
Beer Three appears to cure neurodegenerative disease. Put another way, it gives me a strong spine. I stare back at cops. The notion that I may be bulletproof starts to take hold.
PHOTO: Facebook / The Jury Room
1007 Club (established 1989)
1007 Soquel Ave.
I had intended to walk to all six bars but I’m three beers in and I am concerned that I’ll be arrested for drunk walking (WUI). I can hear Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” from the parking lot. A sign at the door says “shirt and shoes are required.” No pants?
The 1007 Club was the last bar in Santa Cruz to allow smoking but now doesn’t. New ownership has cut the haze to stay in line with city restrictions; no more smoking indoors, and that has freshened the vibe and drawn in a wider mix of people. It opens at the crack of noon and keeps pouring until 2 the next morning.
They have every kind of great drinking game: pinball machines, three pool tables, three real dartboards, three soft dartboards, a Monday night open dart tournament, five TV screens behind the bar with sports television, video games at the bar, foosball, scratchers, a snack machine, and a really long, free shuffleboard. There is a stage for live performances, anda dance room where the DJs spin beats. The drinks are strong, bouncers cool, and ’80s Night is Thursday, ’90s Night is Friday and Goth Night is every Sunday.
“Come here often enough and everyone will know your name, which may not be a good thing,” says a woman named Margie. One table of 20-somethings is drinking Red Bull and doing shots of whiskey.A couple verbally spars at the bar.
“You should leave your liver to science.”
“You should leave your brain to science-fiction.”
RESTROOM:
The men’s restroom is just fine. By this point I am so grateful it is there, I really cannot report anything objectionable. Of the six bars I’m reviewing, the 1007 Club men’s room might be in the middle.
Beer Four makes me fall in love with everyone and everything. I’m not sure how I’m going to make it to the next bar but have alcohol-fueled faith that it will all work out.
DRINK UP The 1007 Club offers group downhill skiing. PHOTO: 1007 Club
Rush Inn (established 1963, to be destroyed 2025)
113 Knight St.
The Rush Inn is within a stoned throw of the Clocktower at the top of Pacific Avenue, open from 10am to 2am. Since 1963, faithful clientele have treated it like extended family; bartender camaraderie is legend, the pinball wizards and video golfers all seem to know one another’s names. To make the family aspect of this 62-year-old neighborhood bar even more poignant, it’s going away.
The Santa Cruz Planning Commission has approved an eight-story housing project for the Workbench developing group of 178 new residential units that will demolish the current building and turn The Rush Inn into a memory. Owner Karen Madura said, “This will shutter out the small business that’s there, and it will put people out of work.” Workbench even gets to cut down the two giant redwoods when they take down the Rush. Humorist Sven Davis says: “Notice to squirrels: Rush Out.”
But it ain’t down yet. Formerly Bei’s Bar, the Rush has been a bedrock dive bar serving generation after generation. The Rush Inn is known for its queer-friendly Saturday afternoon space and locals are loyal to it from their hearts. A Will Ferrell movie is playing with the sound off and Bonnie Raitt sings “Slow Ride.” A party of four at the right end of the bar is playing a risqué multiple-choice quiz game on the TV.
The question: If you meet someone in bar, you should make love for the first time only after you’ve both shared:
A. what you expect from an intimate relationship
B. your blood-test results
C. five tequila slammers
The players laugh and beer comes out of their noses.
RESTROOM:
The men’s restroom is functional. I could rate it middle of the pack, but again, how high of a rating am I looking for at the point? I try to do my part by not missing the urinal.
Beer Five makes me plan journeys to faraway lands with destinations I don’t remember. My speech devolves into grunting and Nine Inch Nails fills my head.
RUSH INN WHILE YOU CAN Santa Cruz will lose this classic watering hole when work begins on the Clocktower Center. Photo: Richard Stockton
The Asti (established 1937)
715 Pacific Ave.
Like Brady’s, The Asti started in the 1920s as a speakeasy. It got its liquor license after Prohibition in 1937. The Asti was born out of the Depression; it had sawdust floors, pinball machines, and was a two-fisted drinking, boilermaker scene. As lower Pacific turns into a canyon of shiny, ugly high rises, the Asti is a respite from them. May it live on and on. It has three pool tables, a juke box and weekend drink specials. It’s been voted best dive bar in Santa Cruz many times. Most drinks are $5. There is no velvet rope.
Everyone at the Asti is older. By a lot. It’s late in the afternoon and there are 30 people at the bar, and the laughs keep rolling. They commit to joy in their camaraderie. They’re fragile, dancing sailors on a sinking ship.
Elaine, at the end of the bar, tells me that women in particular love dives for a chance to stop being good girls and have fun. “They know they’re safe because even the funkiest dive in Santa Cruz is not going to tolerate men hassling women. Women can flirt a little, shoot pool, drink a little more than usual, and go home after seeing how those of us from across the tracks live.”
RESTROOM:
For the record, there is absolutely nothing nasty about the Asti. Check out the spotless sink, urinal and toilet in the men’s room. The Asti men’s room rivals, maybe surpasses, Brady’s in cleanliness. My bathroom at home has not been this clean since it was built.
Beer Six. It is probably good that I’m not on West Cliff for I have developed the ability to fly. Someone calls me a cab, and now I must deal with the conundrum of being able to go anywhere on earth. I groove to a symphony of white noise. I love every one of you.
In other towns, dive bars may be dismissed as gritty watering holes, relics of a bygone era. In Santa Cruz, they are the quiet heartbeats of local communities.
TIME STANDS STILL The Asti provides respite in a changing downtown. PHOTO: Richard Stockton
Originally founded 30 years ago as a catering business, Carmona’s is now located at the Pajaro Valley Golf Course and is captained by chef and owner Johnny Carmona. He says he learned to cook as a child by attending “grandma university,” beginning his culinary career at age nine making food for not only his mom and sisters, but also for his grandpa and his buddies at their regular house domino games.
Carmona describes his namesake restaurant as a community-driven, family-friendly spot with a cozy sports bar feel, housed in a large open space with a view of the course’s first tee. The menu is classic American breakfast/lunch/dinner with pronounced multicultural influence from Mexican, Italian and Asian cuisines. Morning faves include a classic chicken fried steak, Hawaiian loco moco and breakfast fried rice on weekends. Lunch/dinner bests are Filipino lumpia, deep-fried mushrooms and a clam chowder that has won the Boardwalk’s cookoff eight times. The burgers are another hit, like the Happy Gilmore with bacon, onion rings and American cheese. Other standouts are chili verde with tender pork shoulder and an oft raved-about eggplant Parmesan. A full bar featuring local beers holds down the beverage side, and there’s live music or a DJ most weekends.
How did you learn to cook such diverse cuisines?
JOHNNY CARMONA: As a kid, my mom was a single mother working three jobs to support us, so I would often have sleepovers at friends’ houses. One of my friends was Filipino, so that’s where I learned how to cook pork adobo and lumpia. I also had several Hispanic friends whose parents taught me to make dishes like chicken mole, and I had an Italian buddy whose mom taught me how to make pesto and alfredo sauces and eggplant parmesan. I also read a lot of cookbooks. If something tasted good, I’ve always had passion to learn to cook it.
Tell me about the catering side of the business?
It’s kept us going for 30 years and counting with menu options like paella, whole roasted pig, goat and lamb, chile colorado, Thai shrimp pasta, shrimp scampi and chicken alfredo. We keep it very professional, but treat each customer like family. We do over 200 catering events per year, everything from small events to birthdays, weddings and large corporate gatherings.
Hindu goddess Durga rides a tiger and carries weapons in her ten hands, including a sword, ax and thunderbolt. Yet she wears a pleasant smile. Her mandate to aid the triumph of good over evil is not fueled by hate but by luminous clarity and loving ferocity. I suggest you adopt her attitude, Aries. Can you imagine yourself as a storm of joy and benevolence? Will you work to bring more justice and fairness into the situations you engage with? I imagine you speaking complex and rugged truths with warmth and charm. I see you summoning a generous flair as you help people climb up out of their sadness and suffering. If all goes well, you will magnetize others to participate in shared visions of delight and dignity.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
Born under the sign of Taurus, Maya Deren first expressed her extravagant creative urges as a writer, poet, photographer, clothes designer and dancer. But then she made a radical change, embarking on a new path as an experimental filmmaker. She said she had “finally found a glove that fits.” Her movies were highly influential among the avant-garde in the 1940s and 1950s. I bring Deren to your attention, Taurus, because I suspect that in the coming months, you, too, will find a glove that fits. And it all starts soon.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
In medieval times, alchemists believed mercury was a sacred substance and divine intermediary. They knew that it’s the only metal that’s liquid at room temperature. This quality, along with its silvery sheen (why it’s called “quicksilver”), made it seem like a bridge between solid and liquid, earth and water, heaven and earth, life and death. I nominate mercury as your power object, Gemini. You’re extra well-suited to navigate liminal zones and transitional states. You may be the only person in your circle who can navigate paradox and speak in riddles and still make sense. It’s not just cleverness. It’s wisdom wrapped in whimsy. So please offer your in-between insights freely. PS: You have another superpower, too: You can activate dormant understandings in both other people’s hearts and your own.
CANCER June 21-July 22
In the western Pacific Ocean, there’s a species of octopus that builds its lair from coconut shells. The creature gathers together husks, dragging them across the seafloor, and fits them together. According to scientists, this use of tools by an invertebrate is unique. Let’s make the coconut octopus your power creature for now, Cancerian. You will have extra power to forge a new sanctuary or renovate an existing one, either metaphorically or literally. You will be wise to draw on what’s nearby and readily available, maybe even using unusual or unexpected building materials.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
I invite you to contemplate the meaning of the phrase “invisible architecture.” My dream told me it will be a theme for you in the coming weeks. What does it mean? What does it entail? Here are my thoughts: Structures are taking shape within you that may not yet be visible from the outside. Bridges are forming between once-disconnected parts of your psyche and life. You may not need to do much except consent to the slow emergence of these new semi-amazing expressions of integrity. Be patient and take notes. Intuitions arriving soon may be blueprints for future greatness. Here’s the kicker: You’re not just building for yourself. You’re working on behalf of your soul-kin, too.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
A supple clarity is crystallizing within you. Congratulations! It’s not a brittle or rigid certainty, but a knack for limber discernment. I predict you will have an extra potent gift for knowing what truly matters, even amidst chaos or complication. As this superpower reaches full ripeness, you can aid the process by clearing out clutter and refining your foundational values. Make these words your magic spells: quintessence, core, crux, gist, lifeblood, root. PS: Be alert for divine messages in seemingly mundane circumstances.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
The ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna was called “the Queen of Heaven.” Her domains were politics, divine law, love and fertility. She was a powerhouse. One chapter of her mythic story tells of her descent into the underworld. She was stripped of everything—clothes, titles, weapons—before she could be reborn. Why did she do it? Scholars say she was on a quest for greater knowledge and an expansion of her authority. And she was successful! I propose we make her your guide and companion in the coming weeks, Libra. You are at the tail-end of your own descent. The stripping is almost complete. Soon you will feel the first tremors of return—not loud, not triumphant, but sure. I have faith that your adventures will make you stronger and wiser, as Inanna’s did for her.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
In ancient Rome, the dye called Tyrian purple was used exclusively for garments worn by royalty and top officials. It had a humble origin: murex snails. Their glands yielded a pale liquid that darkened into an aristocratic violet only after sun, air and time worked upon it. I’m predicting you will be the beneficiary of comparable alchemical transformations in the coming weeks. A modest curiosity could lead to a major breakthrough. A passing fancy might ripen into a rich blessing. Seemingly nondescript encounters may evolve into precious connections.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
Bees can see ultraviolet patterns in flowers that are invisible to humans. These “nectar guides” direct bees to the flower’s nectar and pollen, functioning like landing strips. Let’s apply these fun facts as metaphors for your life, Sagittarius. I suspect that life is offering you subtle yet radiant cues leading you to sources you will be glad to connect with. To be fully alert for them, you may need to shift and expand the ways you use your five senses. The universe is in a sense flirting with you, sending you clues through dream-logic and nonrational phenomena. Follow the shimmering glimmers.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
At the height of her powers, Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut declared, “I have restored what had been ruined. I have raised up what had dissolved.” You now have a similar gift at your disposal, Capricorn. If you harness it, you will gain an enhanced capacity to unify what has been scattered, to reforge what was broken, and to resurrect neglected dreams. To fulfill this potential, you must believe in your own sovereignty—not as a form of domination, but of devotion. Start with your own world. Make beauty where there was noise. Evoke dignity where there was confusion.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
In the high Himalayas, there’s a flower called Saussurea obvallata—the Brahma Kamal. It blooms only at night and for a short time, releasing a scent that legend says can heal grief. This will be your flower of power for the coming weeks, Aquarius. It signifies that a rare and time-sensitive gift will be available, and that you must be alert to gather it in. My advice: Don’t schedule every waking hour. Leave space for mystery to arrive unannounced. You could receive a visitation, an inspiration, or a fleeting insight that can change everything. It may assuage and even heal sadness, confusion, aimlessness, or demoralization.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
The human heart beats 100,000 times per day, 35 million times per year and 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime. It’s the most reliable “machine” ever created, working continuously and mostly without special maintenance for decades. Although you Pisceans aren’t renowned for your stability and steadiness, I predict that in the coming weeks, you will be as staunch, constant and secure as a human heart. What do you plan to do with this grace period? What marvels can you accomplish?
The music of Texas-born singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster combines Americana, blues, folk, gospel and soul. Earning comparisons to Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin, Foster makes effective and creative use of her vocal and instrumental skills, as vehicles for her inspiring lyrical work. She’s as prolific as she is talented, with more than a dozen albums to her credit. In recognition of her artistry, Foster’s list of nominations and awards is lengthy, including three Grammy nominations and one win (in 2025 for Mileage, Best Contemporary Blues album), and a staggering ten Blues Music Awards between 2010 and present. BILL KOPP
Luke Wyland sits at the keys and coaxes out beautiful spatial soundscapes, electronic ambient music with a plot that takes listeners on a journey. Hailing from Portland (where a large percentage of music of every conceivable genre seems to come from these days), Wyland is also a disability activist. Collaborating with the nonprofit SPACE, he curates The Library of Dysfluent Voices—a completely unique archive that explores stuttering as a generative, expressive mode of communication. Sharing the bill is Peruvian American composer, vocalist and performing artist Briana Marela. KEITH LOWELL JENSEN
INFO: 8:30pm, Indexical, 1050 River St., #119, Santa Cruz. $16. (509) 627-9491.
ALT-COUNTRY
WILL SPROTT
With his slightly psychedelic, alt country adjacent sound featuring a healthy dose of reverb-soaked guitar and rich imaginative lyrics, San Jose native Will Sprott first made his mark (and earned strong reviews) with The Mumlers. Under the Mumlers name (and now on his own), he’s proven to be quite prolific, cranking out recordings, including his latest, Natural Internet, which received a second pressing last year. This Friday sees him returning home to share the night with labelmate Joe Kaplow. It is presented by Redwood Records. KLJ
INFO: 8pm, Crepe Place 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.
THEATER
ADDAMS FAMILY
Though perhaps a bit more morbid, The Addams Family navigates the struggles of every family. Their children are growing up. Chaos ensues when Gomez and Morticia Addams’ beloved, macabre daughter, Wednesday, falls for a regular old boy from Ohio. Peppered with witty songs and ghoulish charm, this musical comedy delights in the absurdity of teenage romance, the eccentricities that run in families, and the certainty of change. Mountain Community Theatre presents this show under the direction of Daria E. Troxell and will feature a few special “Dress As Your Favorite Character” performances for some added fun. Performances go until Oct 19. SHELLY NOVO
INFO: 8pm, Park Hall, 9400 Mill St., Ben Lomond. $30-$35. 336-4777.
SATURDAY 9/20
ELECTRONIC
GARY NUMAN
Recognized as one of the fathers of synth pop and known for hits like “Cars” and “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?,” Gary Numan’s evolving electric rock sound has been instrumental across eras. His influence spans timelines and genres, shaping legends like Prince, Nine Inch Nails and Kanye West. With 22 albums under his belt, his gritty, gothic sound has outlasted naysayers and transcended the fickle music industry. With robotic vocals and guitar-pedal-processed synth hooks, Numan mixes pleasure with just a touch of pain to create an innovative and altogether addictive soundscape. SN
INFO: 8pm, Catalyst, 1101 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $41. 713-5492.
CABARET
ICONS: BLACK WOMEN ILLUMINATED
Dress to the nines and step through the speakeasy to experience a dynamic cabaret-style tribute to 20th-century Black women artists. Grab a drink and enjoy the jazz until the curtain rises. The evening will be filled with aerial artists, spoken word, song, burlesque and dance. All the acts come together for a one-night ritual that explores “lineage, liberation, and unapologetic creative power.” The night will feature an all-Black women and gender-expansive cast. Through remembering the great artists of the past, the artists and audience have a chance to form deeper connections with themselves, those who came before, and those who will come after. ISABELLA MARIE SANGALINE
INFO: 7pm, 418 Project, 155 S. River St, Santa Cruz. $45. 466-9770.
BLUES-ROCK
NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS
Now in their 29th year, North Mississippi Allstars was founded by brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson to pay homage to blues musicians like their father, Jim Dickinson, along with friends like Mississippi Fred McDowell, Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside. Armed with a rotating cast of guest musicians, the North Mississippi Allstars have boasted members such as Duwayne Burnside (son of R.L.) Alvin Youngblood Hart and Lucinda Williams. Earlier this year they released their new album, Still Shakin’ as a 25th celebration for their debut album, Shake Hands With Shorty. MAT WEIR
Get ready to be transported back to the Cliffs o’ Dover this weekend with Celtic at the Brewery. This afternoon will feature the Irish sounds of the Weeds Duo, consisting of fiddler John Weed (from the locally infamous Molly’s Revenge) and son Evan (who plays Celtic harp, melodica and piano). This Carmel duo celebrates the Celtic tradition with jigs, reels and slower, emotional selections. On top of that, they play tracks showcasing how Celtic music influenced American genres like bluegrass, Appalachian music and jazz, connecting the past with the present. This Sunday, raise those spirits (and some pints) with some uplifting music outdoors. MW
ND Stevenson’s acclaimed 2012 science fiction graphic novel, Nimona, was first published as a webcomic. Its organic success led to a 2015 deal with HarperCollins, eventually making Stevenson a National Book Award finalist. Nimona was adapted for animated film in 2023 and subsequently nominated for an Academy Award. Stevenson has worked on projects for Marvel, Disney+, and was showrunner for Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. A nonbinary artist, Stevenson explores LGBTQ+ themes in a myriad of ways. Stevenson’s latest work is Scarlet Morning, the first part of a planned duology featuring pirates, magic, and themes of friendship and found family. BK
INFO: 5pm, Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-0900.
“When I feel good, I eat healthy, but when I’m anxious or depressed, all bets are off.”
It’s a conundrum I hear after every Mediterranean Diet class I teach. We all know, deep down, it’s better to reach for the apple than the ice cream. But knowing and doing are two different things. After all, when hasn’t a pint of Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough felt like the perfect end for a rough day? For a few blissful spoonfuls, it feels like self-care. Then the carton is empty, the moment has passed, and you’re left feeling worse than when you started.
So why does this hell-cycle tend to happen? And more importantly, how can we break free and choose foods that actually lift us up, even when we’re feeling low?
It turns out there’s a real scientific explanation. The gut and brain are in constant conversation via what researchers call the gut-brain axis—a feedback loop where mood, diet and digestion are inseparably linked.
Our gut microbiome—the trillions of microbes living in the digestive tract—communicates directly with the brain through the vagus nerve and neurotransmitters like serotonin (about 90% of which is produced in the gut) and dopamine (around 50% of which originates there too).
When the microbiome is balanced, we often feel calmer, clearer and more energized. But stress, processed foods and antibiotics can disrupt this delicate ecosystem, fueling anxiety, depression and digestive issues. Diets rich in fiber, fermented foods and healthy fats—like the Mediterranean diet—support microbial diversity and mental well-being, while mindful eating and stress-reducing practices strengthen the gut-brain connection.
Local Breema expert Dr. Alexandra Johnson confirms, “Specific bacteria have been correlated to anxiety, depression and other mood disorders.”
Local Wisdom
Cordelia Sidijaya sees the impact of this science every day.
“As a holistic gut health specialist and RN, I often see clients who don’t realize that some of the foods that they are eating are impacting their hormones, mental health and overall well-being. Once they start to eliminate the toxins that are neurotoxic, endocrine and hormone disruptors, they are relieved how their anxiety and fatigue goes away, and their stress resilience and overall mood improves. They also improve their brain-gut connection.”
In spite of the common complaint that diet advice is constantly changing—and that’s true if you’re getting your nutrition information from online influencers (aka marketers)—in reality, the Mediterranean diet has stood the test of time, recognized for centuries as one of the top health and weight management approaches.
Science continues to back it up with more recent findings supporting the role of probiotic foods on physical and mental health:
Diets rich in prebiotic fibers and less processed food are linked to improved mood.
Highly processed, inflammatory foods are associated with greater risk of depression and anxiety.
Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut may help ease anxiety, especially social anxiety.
Probiotic supplements show mixed results—whole-food diets tend to be more effective. But stress management requires more than a dietary approach.
Local holistic nutrition expert Alisha Slaughter puts it this way: “What we eat is one of the most accessible tools we have to support mental well-being. Diet shapes the gut–brain connection, which plays an important role in how we experience stress and anxiety. Nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods help support stable energy and mood.
“At the same time, the body must feel relaxed in order to digest and absorb nourishment,” she continues. “Combining stress management with nutrition creates a foundation for gut health and emotional resilience.”
Personalized Nutrition
Of course, no two guts are the same. Individual differences in the microbiome matter; what works for one person may not for another.
Some local experts, like Dr. Laura Paris and Dr. Johnson, are bringing advanced microbiome testing into their practices. By sending a simple stool sample to a lab, they can identify digestive imbalances and create targeted treatment plans.
Paris recommends shotgun sequencing microbiome tests, explaining that they’re “the most advanced way to map the entire ecosystem, pinpoint mood-related imbalances, and guide targeted protocols to shift the microbiome in the right direction.”
Anyone who’s dealt with a few days of constipation knows firsthand how digestion affects mood. Microbiome testing simply takes that gut instinct and gives it scientific precision.
Closing the Loop
We’ve all been there, spoon in hand, chasing comfort in a pint of ice cream. But as the science and local experts remind us, the real path to comfort isn’t about numbing stress—it’s about nourishing the gut so it can support the brain. From fermented foods to mindful eating to personalized microbiome insights, we have more tools than ever to strengthen this two-way connection.
And here’s the hopeful part: the same way stress can spiral into poor food choices, healthy choices can spark a virtuous cycle of resilience, energy and balance. Which means the next time life throws a curveball, we might find ourselves slowing down to take some slow, deep breaths before reaching for the organic apple, maybe sliced and made sweeter with a sprinkle of cinnamon—not because we should, but because it doesn’t feel like a compromise when it tastes sweet and satisfying AND makes us feel good.
On Sept. 9, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously supported an ordinance which—if approved upon the second reading on Sept. 30—would prohibit the retail sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use.
Also known as “laughing gas,” nitrous oxide has several legitimate uses, such as an anesthetic for some medical procedures, and in restaurants to make whipped cream.
But because it also causes a brief euphoric “high,” it has been widely abused, particularly by young people. And while state law prohibits its sale to minors—and for the purposes of intoxication—proving that can be a challenge, said Supervisor Kim De Serpa, who authored the ordinance.
“This gap leaves enforcement powerless where retail shops openly sell nitrous,” she said.
Also known as nitro, N₂O, NOS, nangs, whippets, hippy crack and buzz bombs, the gas works when the user inhales it.
According to county officials, it is classified as a dissociative drug that can alter perception, mood and consciousness similar to psychedelics.
It can cause dizziness, disorientation, blurred vision, loss of balance, numbness, nausea, headaches, vomiting, impaired memory, and slowed cognition or motor performance.
Heavy use may also cause chest tightness, impotence and clumsiness. Chronic use can cause vitamin B12 depletion, which can lead to nerve and brain damage, bone marrow suppression, muscle control loss, tinnitus, incontinence, weakened immunity and increased risk of heart attack.
The ordinance, De Serpa said, “is about protecting public health and public safety.”
She pointed to several recent incidents in which drivers were caught under the influence of the gas.
“We’re just seeing more and more of it,” De Serpa said.
During the summer, she said, SCSO investigators received a tip about a gas station in Felton that was selling “shelves and shelves and shelves” of nitrous. Employees later sold products to a minor decoy in a sting operation.
Later, investigators learned that the shop sold more than 900 units in four months, which was enough for 235,000 doses, De Serpa said.
“This is not small-scale,” she said. “It is industrial-level distribution for recreational abuse.”
Similar ordinances have been adopted in Orange, San Mateo and Humboldt counties.
De Serpa said that she expects local cities, along with the counties of Monterey and Humboldt, to follow suit.
Amber Williams, who runs Janus of Santa Cruz—a nonprofit that helps people overcome substance use disorders—said that withdrawal from nitrous oxide is difficult to treat. Two young people have recently gone to treatment for it, she added.
“The more we can ban it and get it out of our community so we can actually treat the other issues we’re already dealing with in substance use disorder services, the better,” Williams said.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Lt. Nick Baldridge said the ordinance will help law enforcement close the loophole that allows retail sales.
“This would just allow us to help keep that off the street, help keep our community safe, and take that enforcement action to keep it out of our retail shops in this county to try and limit that access for our youth,” he said.
If adopted later this month, the ordinance will take effect 31 days later.
Despite community opposition, the Watsonville City Council on Sept. 9 voted in favor of a $251,000, two-year contract with Flock Safety, adding 17 additional license plate reader cameras to the 20 that were already in place.
The vote was 5-2, with Mayor Maria Orozco and Councilmember Vanessa Quiroz-Carter dissenting.
The issue of using the automated cameras stationed in locations throughout the city has been controversial since 2023, when Watsonville signed a two-year contract with the Atlanta-based company, spending $132,000 for 20 cameras.
Watsonville Interim Police Chief David Rodriguez said that with 85% of police agencies across the U.S. facing officer shortages, the Flock cameras are a “true force multiplier” that helps them solve more crimes.
“What this is causing us to do is rethink the way we address policing issues, safety issues in our own community,” Rodriguez said. “A big part of this is using technology.”
According to Rodriguez, police used the cameras 98 times over the past six months for investigations. Incidents of stolen vehicles have decreased by 11% since they were installed, and 28 stolen vehicles have been returned to their owners.
The additional 37 cameras, he said, would help to fill “blind spots” at entrances and exits to the city.
Addressing community concerns, Rodriguez said that the cameras are not used for facial recognition or to monitor speed. More importantly, the data is never shared with federal law enforcement officials, he said.
He explained that officers using the system need a valid reason, as well as a case number. And if a license plate number comes back connected to crimes, such as a burglary or a missing person, the system will alert the officer.
“It allows us to better investigate these crimes and actually collaborate with our law enforcement partners to better investigate,” Rodriguez said.
The data is deleted after 30 days, Rodriguez said.
City Attorney Samantha Zutler said that state and local law prevent the data from being shared with outside parties. This includes Senate Bill 54—also called the California Values Act—which limits the way in which law enforcement agencies can cooperate with federal officials.
“The city owns the data, and the city accesses the data,” Zutler said.
But the assurances from the city were cold comfort to several people who spoke against the license plate readers.
Bernie Gomez with Milpa Collective said the cameras will disproportionately impact the people of Watsonville. (MILPA is a watchdog group, Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement).
He pointed out that Scotts Valley has no cameras, while the city of Santa Cruz, with a population of 56,000 and a majority of white people, has only eight.
“And you have the audacity to want 37,” Gomez said.
Julia Monahan, a founder of Get the Flock Out, said the group is working to persuade the county’s jurisdictions that use the cameras to cease their contracts.
The group points out that the city of Denver recently rejected an extension for license plate readers after a public backlash.
The movement, Monahan said, is not about distrust of the police.
She said Flock has already been accused of sharing data with federal officials in other jurisdictions.
“This is about the tool that’s being used,” she said.
Watsonville Charter School for the Arts teacher Bobby Marchessault said he understands why police would want the tool. But he urged the council to reject the contract.
“I think as a community, though, it’s also our job to balance that and ask what kind of community we want to live in,” he said. “Do we want to live in a surveillance state community? I don’t think the end is worth the means.”
Quioroz-Carter said that she was a part of the council two years ago when the initial contract with Flock was approved. But that was before President Donald Trump was elected and began to implement his hardline immigration policies.
“The world was a very different place two years ago,” she said, adding that current law is behind in protecting the privacy of citizens.
“Our data is being bought, sold and traded,” she said.
Councilwoman Kristal Salcido, an attorney, said she works with children caught up in human trafficking.
“I am persuaded by the types of crimes that can be solved (by the cameras),” she said. “If my children were to go missing, I would want this type of tool to be able to be used.”
Who says the government never does anything tasty?
In 2004, the California State Legislature designated September as California Wine Month.
So—yes, math majors—this is the year that the month turns old enough to drink. (And, BTW, the wine-stacked Golden State turns 175.)
Here appear three divergent—and character-rich—ways to mark the occasion, in order from mo$$$t to lea$t.
1. Buy a barrel and do...
Of all the things to celebrate about life in Santa Cruz—nature, culture, the beach—we haven’t given enough credit to our great dive bars. They are more than just drinking spots, but places where, you know, everyone is a friend you have or haven’t met yet and yeah, everyone knows your name. Cheers.
Richard Stockton set out to hit quite a...
