Born and raised in Lebanon where she immigrated to the U.S. from in 2010, Ramona Ismail fell for Mexican food flavors right away when they initially graced her palate. She and her husband, Frank, bought neighborhood favorite Grady’s Market 10 years ago, aspiring to one day offer high-quality affordable cuisine from the on-site kitchen. Almost a decade later, they found the right chef/partner in Marco, an award-winning executive chef specializing in authentic Mexican cuisine.
Offering on-site dining, take-out and catering, Casa Birria opened in November 2024 and is gaining a culinary foothold in the community. The namesake birria headlines, the slow-cooked tender shredded beef is available in tacos, tortas, quesadillas and even pizza and ramen. Other favorites are burgers and burritos, as well as street tacos with 12 different protein options. There are also breakfast burritos, chimichangas and asada fries, as well as a slightly spicy secret sauce. Daily specials like pozole, chili rellenos and camarones a la diabla are also available, and so is a scratch-made, match-made-in-heaven churro cheesecake for dessert.
What inspired your immigration?
RAMONA ISMAIL: I was born in Lebanon during the civil war, and I remember vividly not being able to go to school and not living the life that a child should. I didn’t want my own children to grow up like that, I wanted them to be in a safe place, live their age and have the childhood experience that I didn’t. Living here, I share my culture with my kids and it feels so good knowing we are here and that we are secure.
Where does your passion for Mexican cuisine come from?
RI: I think the cuisine is similar to Mediterranean food, and the flavors and spices they use are similar to what I ate as a child. Even though I didn’t grow up eating Mexican food, I love that it reminds me of home. And at the end of the day, I really just love authentic food from any culture, and that is what we serve here at Casa Birria.509 Bay Ave., Capitola, 831-475-2688; casabirriaca.com
My proverbial last meal would involve fresh Monterey Bay Dungeness crab.
My proudest trespassing crime came as Crab Santa, sneaking into friends’ and family’s houses to leave cooked crustaceans staged in the shelves of their fridge.
My greatest invention is the crab-bacon-avocado-pepper jack quesadilla.
For some, their favorite season is summer. For others, it’s the holidays or pro football. For me, it’s crab season, which started locally Sunday, Jan. 5.
I celebrated by reporting Jan. 6—you gotta give our MoBay crabbers time to drop and retrieve their traps, after all—to H&H Fresh Fish (493 Lake Ave., Suite A) at Santa Cruz Harbor.
David Mora at the counter weighed out a big beauty ($13/pound pound live; $21/cooked), noting there’s been a nice swell in business and customer calls.
Meanwhile industry advocates like Melissa Mahoney of Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust, where I’m a contributing writer, are relieved and hungry.
“After much uncertainty, consternation and out-of-state crab, our very own Monterey Bay crab has arrived,” she says. “Get down there, find a boat to buy from, eat it up.”
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Hold up. Wait. Two things can be true at the same time, as can two favorite seasons. In this case, my other adored season often overlaps with crab: mushroom season! And Santa Cruz can make a formidable claim it’s a capital for that, full stop. The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair (held at London Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz) sits at the center of the celebration, and arrives this year Jan. 10-11, with all the vividness of the Exhibit Hall and its displays of local and exotic fungi, live cooking demonstrations, guided mushroom forays and inspired art. That combines with an ever-expanding lineup of guest speakers talking medicinal, sustainable, fascinating and ecosystemic mushrooms. Now c’mon, rain gods and goddesses, keep the moisture coming, ffsc.us/fair.
BONUS BOOM
More spores in store include: 1) a night called “Mycelial Magic,” with local herbalist Paul Gaylon talking power-to-the-soil biology of mycelium, Amanita muscaria expert Kenneth Lekashman demoing healing creams, and house-made medicinal mushroom teas at a discount from host venue Go Ask Alice (1125 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz) 6:30-8pm Friday, Jan 10, the same spot offering deals on fungus products all month, goaskalicesantacruz.com; 2) Big Sur Foragers Festival—featuring its “Wild Foraging Walk and Talk” and “Fungus Face Off,” the latter a culinary wonderland with a dozen chefs doing foraged dishes paired with selections from 20 local wineries—pops Jan. 24-26, bigsurforagersfestival.org.
FLAVOR SCAPING
Capitola Wine Bar & Merchants (115 San Jose Ave., Capitola) hosts a themed tasting + pairing + book spotlight Sunday, Jan. 11, featuring Good Times’ Elizabeth Borelli, author of Tastes Like La Dolce Vita, capitolawinebar.com…Moss Landing’s arty-eco-excellent Haute Enchilada (7902 Moss Landing Road) welcomed a surprise New Year’s Eve, an early barn owl egg from a new owl couple residing in the restaurant’s nest box high above, hauteenchilada.com…Oh dear or oh yes?: Native is partnering with Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts) on a line of donut-scented deodorant, body wash, shampoo, and more. “If your resolution was more self-care and fewer donuts, then maybe Boston Kreme deodorant is the answer,” writes The Hustle Daily…Khalil Gibran, see us out: “I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers.”
As we glide into 2025, I realize I could write a book about New Year’s resolutions. As a wellness coach, I’ve spent years trying to solve the resolution riddle. I’m all for new beginnings, but with success rates so low, why do we keep making them?
The odds aren’t exactly in our favor. A 2023 poll from Forbes Health found most people give up on their resolutions within four months. The numbers tell the story: only 8% of people stick it out for a month, and here’s the kicker—just 1% make it the whole year.
Where are we going wrong? As it turns out, lasting change comes down to understanding how habits work. Research shows 40% of what we do daily is automatic. When people make resolutions, they don’t always focus on turning them into habits or creating a plan to make those habits stick.
Want to beat the odds and turn your resolutions into a lasting success? These local wellness experts have some ideas that could help.
One Day at a Time “A single, intentional shift can ignite profound change,” suggests Suzy Brown of Dynamic Reflexology & Nutrition. “All wellness begins with a thriving liver—the powerhouse that detoxifies, balances hormones, and fuels vitality.”
A certified reflexologist and nutrition practitioner, Brown offers one simple tip: “Start each morning with warm lemon water before coffee. This simple ritual jumpstarts digestion, revitalizes the liver and lays the foundation for a vibrant day.”
Brown asserts, “Commit to this one habit for four weeks to build consistency before introducing another.” The next steps, she says, could be “regular reflexology sessions to reduce stress, restore balance and support overall well-being.”
Get Crystal Clear
“One of the main reasons people fail to stick to their resolutions is that their goals are too vague,” says Eric Hand, a clinical exercise physiologist with Dominican Hospital’s Center for Lifestyle Management. “If you want to exercise more, you might set a goal to work out twice per week, but this goal is too ambiguous. The brain is overwhelmed by ambiguity and you are likely to spin your wheels trying to figure out exercise options and won’t know where to start.”
Hand explains, “Researchers in Great Britain found that people were nearly three times more likely to exercise if they wrote down the specific day, time and place they were going to work out.” For example, he says, the resolution should include a type of exercise, the days of the week, the time of the day, and the place.
Hand adds, “To make it even more impactful, consider adding your ‘why’ to the equation. Your new goal would now look like ‘I will take a cardio kickboxing class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5pm at my local gym because it helps me feel strong and confident.’ This goal is crystal clear to the brain and reflects the type of person you want to become, greatly increasing the likelihood of success.”
Mindful Moments
Maaliea Wilbur, a licensed marriage family therapist and CEO of Therapy Works, says that as she steps into the new year, she encourages clients to take “a mindful moment to pause, reflect and set new intentions. Reflection is a powerful practice that allows us to honor our achievements, acknowledge the challenges we’ve faced, and uncover the valuable lessons they’ve taught us. This intentional process creates a strong foundation for setting meaningful goals—whether they focus on personal growth, health, relationships, or career aspirations.”
Wilbur adds, “Another simple yet highly effective habit to elevate your life is the practice of daily gratitude. By focusing on gratitude, you can quickly shift your perspective to recognize what’s going well, fostering a sense of positivity and increasing resilience throughout the year.”
She recommends one specific tool: the 5-Minute Journal. “You can simply take a few moments each day to jot down three to five things you’re grateful for,” she explains. “These can be big milestones or small, meaningful moments. Over time, this consistent practice enhances your ability to notice and appreciate the good around you, creating a lasting positive impact on your mood and overall outlook.”
Although there has been a relative lack of scientific studies of cannabis over the years (thanks to pot being illegal for most of modern U.S. history), some subjects have gotten enough scrutiny that conclusions can be drawn. Among the most solid of them is that it’s all but certain that weed is highly effective in getting people off opiates.
Since states started legalizing pot about a decade ago, researchers have been studying the effects that legal weed, in particular, have had on opiate addiction. A major challenge for them, though, has been the varying timelines of legalization. Although the general conclusion of most research is that pot helps people get off opioids, the level of effectiveness has been hard to measure. A newly released study (completed in 2023, but published last month), which looked specifically at mortality rates, claims to have solved this problem.
Many studies have looked at rates of addiction, but relatively few have examined how many overdose deaths might be prevented thanks to legal weed, as this one did.
“Although the causal effects of marijuana legalization on opioid mortality rates is a well-examined topic, there is no general consensus on the direction and magnitude of its effects,” according to researchers from Texas Tech University and several other institutions. They point out that results of previous studies, while adding to the consensus that cannabis use is effective for ending opiate addiction, have shown widely varied results, making it hard to determine just how effective it is. “Most studies examining the effect of staggered marijuana legalization policies in the U.S. suffer from this problem, which partly explains the inconsistent estimates,” the researchers said.
The effectiveness of state-level legalization of adult-use cannabis grows over time. While a few states started legalizing nearly a dozen years ago, others legalized just this year. The results vary greatly from state to state.
By accounting for the time disparities, the researchers concluded that there is a “consistent negative relationship” between legalization and fatal overdoses, with more significant effects in states that legalized cannabis earlier in the opioid crisis.
“Recreational marijuana legalization (RML) is associated with a decrease in approximately 3.5 deaths per 100,000 individuals,” the study concluded. “Broadening recreational marijuana access could help address the opioid epidemic. Previous research largely indicates that marijuana (primarily for medical use) can reduce opioid prescriptions, and we find it may also successfully reduce overdose deaths.”
Crucially, they said, “this effect increases with earlier implementation of RML.” Furthermore, the effects are apparent almost immediately after legalization, but become stronger with time and, in their study, “persisted after five years.”
“Groups that implemented RML in later years do not have as much post-treatment data, but their short-term trends are consistent with the effects in the first group of states,” the study noted.
Several points are important to note: first, the study has not yet been peer reviewed. Also, it didn’t examine hospitalizations, overdoses that didn’t result in death, or any “abuse measures” other than overdose fatalities. And, while the results appear to be pretty solid, the researchers warn that it looked only at states where pot has been legalized for adult use, so the earliest data is just 11 years old, while other data is much newer. “This,” they said, “limits our ability to assess longer-term effects on opioid overdose deaths and related variables.”
Opioid misuse often begins with a legal prescription, usually for pain. The use of cannabis to relieve pain has been established fairly solidly, although it can vary greatly among various types of pain and by what the underlying maladies are. So far, the only use of medical cannabis officially sanctioned by the U.S. government is to treat certain types of seizures. In 2018, Epidiolex became the first, and so far only, FDA-approved drug derived from cannabis.
As more research piles up confirming pot’s pain-reducing effects, it seems likely that, eventually, the FDA will approve more medications that will address the kinds of maladies that lead to opioid addiction. Of course, that will become a lot easier once the federal government legalizes weed for all American adults.
Aries poet Charles Baudelaire said that if you want to fully activate your personal genius, you will reclaim and restore the intelligence you had as a child. You will empower it anew with all the capacities you have developed as an adult. I believe this is sensational advice for you in 2025. In my understanding of the astrological omens, you will have an extraordinary potential to use your mature faculties to beautifully express the wise innocence and lucid perceptions you were blessed with when you were young.
TAURUS April 20-May 20
In many Asian myths, birds and snakes are depicted as adversaries. Their conflict symbolizes humanity’s problems in coordinating the concerns of earth and heaven. Desire may be at odds with morality. Unconscious motivations can be opposed to good intentions. Pride, self-interest and ambition might seem incompatible with spiritual aspirations, high-minded ideals and the quest to transcend suffering. But here’s the good news for you, Taurus: In 2025, I suspect that birds and snakes will cooperate rather harmoniously. You and they will have stirring, provocative adventures together.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
Using a fork to eat food was slow to gain acceptance in the Western world. Upper-class Europeans began to make it a habit in the 11th century, but most common folk regarded it as a pretentious irrelevancy for hundreds of years. Grabbing grub with the fingers was perfectly acceptable. I suspect this scenario might serve as an apt metaphor for you in 2025. You are primed to be an early adapter who launches trends. You will be the first to try novel approaches and experiment with variations in how things have always been done. Enjoy your special capacity, Gemini. Be bold in generating innovations.
CANCER June 21-July 22
Psychologist Abraham Maslow defined “peak experiences” as “rare, exciting, oceanic, deeply moving, exhilarating, elevating experiences that generate an advanced form of perceiving reality, and are even mystic and magical in their effect upon the experimenter.” The moment of falling in love is one example. Another may happen when a creative artist makes an inspiring breakthrough in their work. These transcendent interludes may also come from dreamwork, exciting teachings, walks in nature and responsible drug use. (Read more here: tinyurl.com/PeakInterludes) I bring these ideas to your attention, Cancerian, because I believe the months ahead will be prime time for you to cultivate and attract peak experiences.
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
According to my analysis of the astrological omens, your life in 2025 will be pretty free of grueling karmic necessity. You will be granted exemptions from cosmic compulsion. You won’t be stymied by the oppressive inertia of the past. To state this happy turn of events more positively, you will have clearance to move and groove with daring expansiveness. Obligations and duties won’t disappear, but they’re more likely to be interesting than boring and arduous. Special dispensations and kind favors will flow more abundantly than they have in a long time.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
One of my most enjoyable goals in life has been to expunge my “isms.” I’m pleased that I have made dramatic progress in liquidating much of the perverse cultural conditioning that imprinted me as I was growing up. I’ve largely liberated myself from racism, sexism, classism, ableism, heteronormativity, looksism and even egotism. How are you doing with that stuff, Virgo? The coming months will be a favorable time to work on this honorable task. What habits of mind and feeling have you absorbed from the world that are not in sync with your highest ideals?
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Here’s one of my predictions for you in 2025, Libra: You will reach the outer limits of your domain and then push on to explore beyond those limits. Here’s another prediction: You will realize with a pleasant shock that some old expectations about your destiny are too small, and soon you will be expanding those expectations. Can you handle one further mind-opening, soul-stretching prophecy? You will demolish at least one mental block, break at least one taboo, and dismantle an old wall that has interfered with your ability to give and receive love.
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
If you’re not married and would like to be, 2025 might be your best chance in years to find wedded bliss. If an existing intimate bond is less than optimal, the coming months will bring inspiration and breakthroughs to improve it. Let’s think even bigger and stronger, Scorpio, and speculate that you could be on the verge of all kinds of enhanced synergetic connections. I bet business and artistic partnerships will thrive if you decide you want them to. Links to valuable resources will be extra available if you work to refine your skills at collaboration and togetherness.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
I wonder how you will feel about the fact that I’m declaring 2025 to be the Year of the Muses for you Sagittarians. Will you be happy that I expect you to be flooded with provocative clues from inspiring influences? Or will you regard the influx of teachings and revelations as chaotic, confusing or inconvenient? In the hope you adopt my view, I urge you to expand your understanding of the nature of muses. They may be intriguing people, and might also take the form of voices in your head, ancestral mentors, beloved animals, famous creators or spirit guides.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Astrologers in ancient China had the appalling view that over two-thirds of all omens are negative, threatening or scary. I haven’t seen formal research into the biases of modern Western stargazers, but my anecdotal evidence suggests they tend to be equally pessimistic. I regard this as an unjustified travesty. My studies have shown that there is no such thing as an inherently ominous astrological configuration. All portents are revelations about how to successfully wrangle with our problems, perpetrate liberation, ameliorate suffering, find redemption, and perform ingenious tweaks that liberate us from our mind-forged manacles. They always have the potential to help us discover the deeper meanings beneath our experiences. Everything I just said is essential for you to keep in mind during 2025.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Over the years, a few people who don’t know me well have accused me of “thinking too much” or “overthinking.” They are wrong. While I aspire to always be open to constructive criticism, I am sure that I don’t think too much. Not all my thoughts are magnificent, original and high-quality, of course; some are generated by fear and habit. However, I meticulously monitor the flow of all my thoughts and am skilled at knowing which ones I should question or not take seriously. The popular adage, “Don’t believe everything you think” is one of my axioms. In 2025, I invite you Aquarians to adopt my approach. Go right ahead and think as much as you want, even as you heighten your awareness of which of your thoughts are excellent and which are not.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
I’m pleased, bordering on gleeful, that your homecoming is well underway. All the signs suggest that as 2025 unfolds, you will ripen the processes of deepening your roots and building a stronger foundation. As a result, I expect and predict that your levels of domestic bliss will reach unprecedented heights. You may even create a deeply fulfilled sense of loving yourself exactly as you are and feeling like you truly belong to the world you are surrounded by. Dear Pisces, I dare you to cultivate more peace of mind than you have ever managed to arouse. I double-dare you to update traditions whose emotional potency has waned.
Homework: Whether or not you believe in reincarnation, imagine that you lived another life. Where was it? Who were you? Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com
Published in cooperation between time2play.com and Good Times
With its dynamic culture and spirit of innovation, California has had a long, intriguing love affair with gambling. Given that California is the most populous state in the U.S., with prominent cities like Santa Cruz, this means an extremely thriving industry from tribal casinos all the way to card rooms.
But is online gambling legal in this state? The article will outline when online gambling became legal in California and the nuances of its legality.
A Brief History of California Gaming
Gaming has taken a very long journey in California, starting with the Gold Rush-era mining towns where saloons ran non-stop games of chance. Over time, it provided a more systematic approach to handle gambling. In the mid-20th century, horse racing and other forms of gambling were explicitly legalized, as well as charitable bingo. With the passage of the IGRA, the 1980s and 1990s saw the expansion of tribal casinos.
Despite these developments, California has been wary of jumping aboard the online gambling bandwagon, concentrating most of its efforts on land-based gambling.
The Current Status of Online Gambling in California
Today, online gambling is not specifically declared legal in California, and nothing has been done to give it a regulatory framework. Put simply, the state neither regulates nor licenses online gambling providers.
That grey area has prompted Californians to participate in online gambling through sites that are based out of state. In fact, everything from poker and slots to even sports bets, every kind of player can find their match with these online websites in California.
The Drive for Legalization of Online Gambling
Efforts to legalize and regulate online gambling have been ongoing in California, now for more than 10 years. Much of this has aimed at online poker since it is a very popular game with active followings in the state. Bills have been presented for the establishment of a legal framework pertaining to online poker and other online gambling games, but there have been disagreements among stakeholders that so far have stalled progress in the process.
Tribal casinos, card rooms, and racetracks are the most powerful players that make up California’s gambling industry, often with competing interests, as where tribal casinos want exclusivity to provide online gambling services, others like card rooms and racetracks want to be included.
Sports Betting: A Gateway to Online Gambling
In 2018, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, opening the door for all states to legalize sports betting. Many saw this as a chance to modernize California’s gambling laws, maybe even including online gambling.
In 2022, Californian voters had a chance to weigh in with two different propositions related to sports betting: Proposition 26 and Proposition 27. While Prop 26 involved in-person wagering at tribal casinos and several racetracks, Prop 27 aimed to legalize online sports wagering. Neither proposition received sufficient approval, and it is very unclear what the future might hold with regard to online gaming.
Why Hasn’t Online Gambling been Legalized Yet?
Several factors can be identified to explain why California is a bit late in legalizing online gambling:
Diverse Interests: Competing priorities among tribal casinos, card rooms, and racetracks deadlock the legislation.
Taxation and Revenue Sharing: Online gambling progress has been very slow to get moving due to disagreement over how the taxes of online gambling revenues would be divided.
Public Opinion: While many Californians have nothing against gambling, some of them voice their concern about the consequences for social and economic life which will happen if online gambling is finally legalized.
What Does the Future Hold?
All delays notwithstanding, the push toward making online gambling legal in California seems unabated. According to industry experts, once in place with the right legislature and alignment of stakeholders’ positions, California may eventually open its doors to legalizing online gaming and create a regulated market in place of illegal or poorly regulated sites, ensuring not only player protection but large revenues for the state where several international operators would be interested.
Until that day comes, the residents who would like to gamble online will continue to go to offshore sites, which are safe and entertaining. It’s best to do prior research and have some level of knowledge on which casinos are best suited to you and your playing style, which is when you can use sites like https://time2play.com/ that provide information and compare not just casinos, but games, bonuses, payment methods and much more.
Conclusion
Though not legalized, online gambling in California does hold immense potential for business in the industry once challenges to its legislation are cleared. In the meantime, Californians will have to settle for the intricacies of how the system currently works: seeking offshore gaming platforms that will satisfy their gaming needs.
With ever-changing discourses on online gaming, Californians can continue to hold onto hope for the time when their state eventually goes the way of embracing its gambling industry in its transition into cyberspace. Meanwhile, awareness and good choices provide a safe and fun way to enjoy online gambling.
Published in cooperation between AskGamblers.com and Good Times
California’s casino gaming culture has a distinct and colorful way of playing poker, because the essence of the game is connected to a long history of card playing and casino entertainment. The Golden State, which is the home of a lot of well-known world-class cardrooms and poker tournaments, still remains to be a poker fan’s paradise. The availability of live poker games and the increase of social and sweepstake poker sites prove the fact that the pastime is loved by all of California.
A Historical Haven for Poker
California’s poker legacy goes a long way back. In the early 20th century, cardrooms gained legal status for the first time, and were the most convenient and practical way to play the game. By the 1930s, the cities of Emeryville and Gardena started being known for poker, and it was about this time that the poker scene originally took off, as around the same time these cardroom casinos began to set up, thus the poker culture of the state was created. The golden age brought players from other countries with top-tier strategies in poker, and even after it went away, the state of California remained the dominant poker paradise.
California poker history has been increased through its role as the home of some of the world’s best gambling events, such as in poker tour stops in the Californian World February up to April 2017, those being on the World Poker Tour (WPT) and the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit. As a result, tournaments have been the key to the success of California as a place for poker for both professional and recreational players.
The Role of Cardrooms and Tribal Casinos
More than 100 licensed cardrooms and about 70 tribal casinos are operated in California. There also are specialized poker areas in many of the facilities as poker culture is quite popular in the state. Notable places include The Commerce Casino & Hotel in Los Angeles which is the world’s largest poker destination and The Bicycle Hotel & Casino, which is famous for its high-stakes matches.
With different poker options, such as the Gardens Casino for versatility and Hollywood Park and Hustler Casino to see lively game spots, the poker scene is made more vibrant. Local as well as travelling cash gaming enthusiasts can visit the Tribal resorts: Pechanga Resort, Thunder Valley, and Morongo which run cash games and tournaments—providing a gamut of diverse experiences and creating a lively poker community around the state.
No-Limit Hold’em and Beyond
No-limit Texas hold’em is the most popular poker form in California—also, worldwide. With its direct instructions and a harmonious mixture of skill and accidental events, this game is one of the most likeable among fans. Other poker games, such as Pot-Limit Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and Omaha Hi-Lo, are also very popular in cardrooms and casinos beside the live poker games usually offered.
And new varieties such as Crazy Pineapple and other poker games like pieces of poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em have a growing following in casinos.
The Online Poker Void
While it is known for its strong poker traditions, California still lacks the legalization of online poker for real money due to the persistent political disagreements between gaming tribes, cardrooms and lawmakers. Alongside the no-limit hold’em and Crazy Pineapple competitions popular on these platforms, social gaming and sweepstakes platforms like Global Poker also operate successfully.
In that regard, these platforms, using virtual currencies, succeeded in unifying a lively and extensive community, thereby filling the gap for poker enthusiasts across California.
Poker Tournaments: A Major Draw
California’s poker tournaments are a significant factor in the game’s enduring popularity. Be it a day in local poker rooms or high-profile events such as the WSOP Circuit, these competitions involve people at all levels of proficiency.
For example, there are such major events as WPT L.A. Poker Classic at Commerce Casino and WPT Rolling Thunder at Thunder Valley Casino. Not only do they have huge prize pools but they also demonstrate poker skills of California worldwide.
The Future of Poker in California
California’s poker culture blossoms at its vibrant cardrooms, tribal casinos, and the bustling social gaming platforms. Even though the legal status of California online poker is hard to predict, the popularity of the game has not declined. This is owed to the state’s long poker tradition, the provision of new and exciting game formats, and a very passionate community who have cemented its status as a world leader in poker.
CITY OF SANTA CRUZ TO HOST WHARF RE-OPENING CEREMONY ON JANUARY 4 SANTA CRUZ, CA — The City of Santa Cruz is happy to announce the re-opening of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on Saturday, January 4. This date marks the formal re-opening of the Wharf and many of its businesses to the public since its closure on Dec. 23, 2024, when the end of the Wharf collapsed into the ocean. Please note that the portion of the Wharf affected by the collapse will remain closed. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the City will host a re-opening ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Wharf Stage Area (see attached map). The ceremony is open to the public and will feature statements from City of Santa Cruz leadership. Staff will be available after the ceremony to answer questions from the media. The ceremony will also be live-streamed on the City’s Facebook page. The Wharf has been deemed safe to reopen based on a recently completed sonar and engineering assessment.“Wharf contractor Power Engineering Construction worked with Pioneer for an ocean sonar scan to locate their heavy equipment that fell into the ocean on December 23,” said Santa Cruz City Manager Matt Huffaker. “The three heavy equipment items have been successfully located. A skiff washed up on the beach and is secured, and the crane and a skid steer are currently in the ocean at a safe distance from the wharf and will be tagged tomorrow with a buoy to alert others of the locations.”
The U.S. Coast Guard also reviewed the sonar scans and Pioneer’s findings.
“This sonar scan shows the 35T RT crane, pile driving hammer, and leads,” said Marine Safety Specialist Response Francis Schiano, United States Coast Guard, Sector San Francisco Incident Management Division. “The crane was located approximately 160 feet southeast of the collapsed face of the Wharf, which is a safe distance away.
The crane is stuck at this time and not moving around.” The engineering assessment was completed by Moffatt and Nichol. “Moffat and Nichol did not observe any damage to the Wharf’s structural capacity beyond the area affected by storm damage and noted that it has the same strength it did before the storm,” said Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Director Tony Elliot.
“Bents (substructures) 169, 170 and 171 do have some damage, and this is the narrower part that remains at the very end of the Wharf and is closed off.” “The community’s response to the wharf collapse on Dec. 23 is a testament to our City’s perseverance and resilience,” said City Council Member Scott Newsome.
“Seeing city staff, residents, and business owners come together to quickly recover from this incident is a beautiful example of what keeps Santa Cruz strong.” The businesses along the wharf are ready to re-open and welcome the community back. “We understand that Wharf business owners are eager to resume operations for the public,” said City of Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley.
“Please join us at the re-opening ceremony to support our local businesses during these challenging times. Together, let’s keep Santa Cruz businesses strong.” Vehicle traffic will not be permitted to go beyond Marini’s Candies on Saturday, January 4, 2025. This means cars will turn around at the East Parking Lot. Access to Stagnaro’s will be pedestrian only. As work continues on the wharf, the City will update the community to provide information on the project’s progress. For more information, follow the City of Santa Cruz on Facebook and Instagram. ###
It can be ethereal to walk in the redwoods in the fog, to feel a Middle Earth majesty that seems too perfect for this world. But as we endure the shortest and darkest days of the year, sometimes Seasonal Affective Disorder can dampen the dance in a dark redwood forest.
As the decrease in light throws my circadian rhythm off, lowers my serotonin level and I fall into a downward spiral of I-could-of-should-of-would-of remorse, I was so depressed I decided to end it all. I sat in my garage while running my electric car. Nothing. The whole week was one big failure.
In my case, maybe it’s time to talk to someone, but if you find yourself carrying the weight of dark winter clouds on your shoulders, I find an effective fix is to walk my SAD vibes off in an open space.
Even as black clouds fall on me, the quickest way I know to increase my serotonin level is to walk, preferably where I can see into the distance. It doesn’t take long for dark thoughts to start grooving to the rhythm of feet. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine and arguably the first hippie, said, “If you feel bad, take a walk. If you still feel bad, take another one.”
Dr. Lily Yan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Michigan State University, talks about how to deal with dark-sky depression: “Simply going outside can improve your mood… an excursion will boost your mental health.”
I’m singin’ in the rain, just singin’ in the rain What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again
When you’re depressed, these are the most obnoxious lyrics in the English language. I understand that Gene Kelly was singing about being in love, but my point is he moved, he danced and swung around a light pole, and that must have helped.
What does movement do for your head? Increases blood flow to the brain. Bingo. The best thing we can do for our mental health is flood our brain with oxygenated blood. It ramps up serotonin, assists neuroplasticity and gives you the head room to process your thoughts, to be with them, self-reflect.
Still Crazy? Work Harder.
If I’m on a walk to quiet my maniacal brain and my mind continues to chatter chaotic, negative thoughts, that just means I’m not working hard enough. If I pick up the pace, elevate my heart rate and deepen my breathing, I reach a degree of physical difficulty that stops my brain and stops the flow of troublesome words.
If I hit my stride hard enough, my brain shuts down and I can focus on the task at hand, pushing against gravity. I can’t even remember the bullshit that was banging around in my head. I’m only lining up the bones for the next step, emptying the lungs for the next breath. I can see clearly now; it feels like I’ve gotten my brain cells down to a number I can manage.
Get Back, Honky Cat
It’s a gas to walk around town, swinging around lamp posts, enjoying what’s in the store windows and particularly digging when we see our self-reflection in the glass. (“When I suck my cheeks in, I could pass for a mannequin.”) It turns out that walking in nature is mentally healthier than walking in cities. Researchers report hiking in nature helps decrease negative, obsessive thoughts.
If our stunning redwood forests are too dark and damp for your mood, where do you walk? In south Santa Cruz County, there are miles of trails along the sloughs between Watsonville and the ocean.
Walking the Watsonville Slough
It’s a Monday; I’m gloomy and choose the easiest slough to get to. I pull into the Ramsay Park parking lot on Harkins Slough Road. I see a 1968 Volkswagen Bus that has a message written on its side:
With climate change we become frogs in a pot of water on the stove. The older frogs say, “That the boiling water thing is the younger generation’s problem, but for now, the rising heat just helps with the arthritis.”
For the sake of this column, I check out the park restrooms and can report that the new facilities are first rate and clean as a whistle (although Henry David Thoreau suggested that hiking is an opportunity to water selected plants along the way). I cross Harkins Slough Road from the Ramsay Park parking lot and enter the trail that runs along Watsonville Slough. It starts out as broken pavement, but wheelchairs would do fine here.
The trail runs between housing developments and Watsonville Slough. While portions of the slough look like a drainage ditch, it is the backbone of the system that drains all of the sloughs. PHOTO: Richard Stockton
Depression Flies Away
I poke along, barely lifting my feet, lost in brooding. The trail veers close to the slough and I’m startled by two huge white pelicans that take off from the water. Their enormous wings lift them high above the slough and then they stretch them out and glide away.
I look them up on my phone; they are American white pelicans, flying from Alaska to Mexico for the winter and need the fresh waters of the Watsonville sloughs to rest, feed and have their young. The website reports that about a third of all bird species depend on wetlands.
I see a small duck with green and blue feathers on its wings take off, a stunning creature. It is a blue-winged teal and as it flies, it shows a powder-blue patch on its upper wing. When I start walking again, I try to resume my dark ruminations but can’t get the birds out of my mind. I know something was bothering me, what was I thinking about?
Walking the wetlands got me through a tough week. I got kicked out of my yoga class for misinterpreting the pose “half-moon.” I pumped hard on the trail until my brain cleared and I thought, “It’s no big deal, I have had more derrière show when I was a plumber.”
A volunteer docent points out invasive species like Scotch broom and and non-invasive plant species like pickleweed (it reportedly tastes like a pickle). Scotch broom was introduced during the Gold Rush era and has taken over much of the area. The tulles in the foreground are native, and were used by the Awaswas to make boats. PHOTO: Richard Stockton
What Is a Slough, Anyway?
If you do hike one of the Watsonville slough trails, know that the sloughs you are walking beside are remarkable, unique bodies of water. It’s where freshwater meets the sea. Bryan Largay, the Land Trust Santa Cruz County director, told me that a slough is a name for tidal freshwater—a freshwater area that has tides.
I thought tides came from the ocean.
Largay says that there’s some flow of freshwater that pushes the ocean water away. “And yet enough of the influence of the ocean is felt to make the tides seen further inland.” Largay says, “Sometimes, not enough water flows down the Pajaro River and then the ocean’s tides have an impact way upstream. There are both freshwater and saltwater tides.”
How to get there: There are slough trails all over the area. Today’s walk was along the Watsonville Slough. Drive to the south end of Ramsay Park, 1301 Main St., Watsonville. Park in the lot and then walk south across Harkins Slough Road to the trailhead, right next to the Ramsay Park Tennis Courts. For other amazing slough hikes, AllTrails.com can get you to Elkhorn Slough, Struve Slough, Harkins Slough. I love them all.
Santa Cruz is blessed with a trinity of stellar coffeehouses provided by Christian communities, serving a variety of inviting neighborhoods—east, west and downtown.
Each sits next to its sponsoring church and serves the wider community in a welcoming way with no agenda or proselytizing.
The Abbey at Vintage Faith Church is the oldest of our local three—originally opened in 2006 to serve Sunday churchgoers. Tucked in a neighborhood of historic Victorians where Downtown meets the Westside, it was originally called the Brickhouse before getting a new look and new name in 2008.
An art, music and coffee lounge, the Abbey provides a monastic-looking environment with hardwood floors and a high-beamed ceiling, well suited for studying, reading or web-surfing. Heavy, armless wooden chairs and several sofas offer comfortable seating for patrons of all sizes, with tables for two, four and ten.
Baristas set their own playlists, so music might be coffeehouse folk one day and eclectic indie on another. An outdoor patio, half covered and half open, offers sun and fresh air in all weather. A piano graces one corner, available to play upon request. Artists and artisans display their work for sale on walls and tables.
Macarons and honey cake are from Sugar Bakery. A kitchen offers avocado toast, a panini “Breakfast Sando,” and chicken pesto or Cuban sandwiches. Syrups are made in-house, including osmanthus, with a peachy-floral flavor.
Specialties include the Honey Badger, a honey and cinnamon latte, and Secret Garden—jasmine tea with milk and honey rose syrup.
House coffee is a special blend from 11th Hour, with pour-over offerings from 11th Hour and Stumptown.
Shrine and Loft Coffee are at opposite ends of Santa Cruz, but close in spirit: bright, airy and contemporary, with pleasing views of nearby nature. The newbies both opened during the pandemic.
SHRINE CLUB The interior at Shrine Coffee is intimate and cheerful. PHOTO: Tarmo Hannula
Shrine Coffee at Shrine of St. Joseph on West Cliff Drive is unique in Santa Cruz for the beauty of its surroundings and tasteful Christian decor in a modern setting. Enjoy a view of the Bay from a spacious patio complete with a Baroque-style fountain, or take a stroll in the tree-shaded garden, among statues and flowers.
Shrine’s interior is intimate and cheerful. A sofa and easy chairs face a flaming fireplace, welcoming on cold mornings by the sea. A wall-sized digital picture frame displays paintings by the Renaissance masters, and comfy armless chairs surround a beautifully polished driftwood table for 10.
Count your blessings over an Our Frother—oatmilk with honey and cinnamon. Enjoy a Summer Fog, an iced black tea with vanilla syrup and Earl Grey cold-foam—or the current special, a lavender honey latte. Shrine sources coffee from Cat and Cloud, and pastries from Bees Knees Bakery in Moss Landing.
BREWS & FOOD Located at Twin Lakes Church, Loft is open until 2pm. PHOTO: Tarmo Hannula
Loft Coffee at Twin Lakes Church holds space just south of Cabrillo College, with a view of the green hills to the north from outdoor tables. Yes, there is a loft—albeit a small one—up a narrow stairway, an aerie near the lofty ceiling.
Loft Coffee selects beans from Copa Vida in Pasadena, 11th Hour and Verve. Organic syrups are from Holy Kakow. Coffee specials include the Santa Cruz Fog, made with macadamia milk.
Pastries are delivered daily from Kelly’s Bakery or Companion Bakeshop. Savories include avocado toast, chorizo breakfast burrito, chicken pesto sandwich, and ham and cheese croissant.
Seating is plentiful and comfortable for groups and singles, and eclectic Spotify playlists keep the mood upbeat but downlow.
All are hidden mere footsteps away from main throughways. Make a pilgrimage to all three.
The Abbey at Vintage Faith Church, 350 Mission St., Santa Cruz (enter from Highland Ave); Sunday-Friday, 8am-6pm. abbeycoffee.org
Shrine Coffee at Shrine of Saint Joseph, 544 W. Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz; Monday-Sunday, 7am-4pm. shrinecoffee.com
Loft Coffee at Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos; Monday-Friday, 7am-2pm; weekends 8am-2pm. loftcoffeeshop.com
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Santa Cruz is blessed with a trinity of stellar coffeehouses provided by Christian communities, serving a variety of inviting neighborhoods—east, west and downtown.
