Rob Brezsny’s Astrology: Nov. 27-Dec 3

Rob Brezsny

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November 26, 2019

Free will astrology for the week of Nov. 27, 2019

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Humans invented the plow in 4500 B.C., the wheel in 4000 B.C., and writing in 3400 B.C. But long before that, by 6000 B.C., they had learned how to brew beer and make psychoactive drugs from plants. Psychopharmacologist Ronald Siegel points to this evidence to support his hypothesis that the yearning to transform our normal waking consciousness is a basic drive akin to our need to eat and drink. Of course, there are many ways to accomplish this shift besides alcohol and drugs. They include dancing, singing, praying, drumming, meditating, and having sex. What are your favorite modes? According to my astrological analysis, it’ll be extra important for you to alter your habitual perceptions and thinking patterns during the coming weeks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): What’s something you’re afraid of, but pretty confident you could become unafraid of? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to dismantle or dissolve that fear. Your levels of courage will be higher than usual, and your imagination will be unusually ingenious in devising methods and actions to free you of the unnecessary burden. Step one: Formulate an image or scene that symbolizes the dread, and visualize yourself blowing it up with a “bomb” made of a hundred roses.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The word “enantiodromia” refers to a phenomenon that occurs when a vivid form of expression turns into its opposite, often in dramatic fashion. Yang becomes yin; resistance transforms into welcome; loss morphs into gain. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you Geminis are the sign of the zodiac that’s most likely to experience enantiodromia in the coming weeks. Will it be a good thing or a bad thing? You can have a lot of influence over how that question resolves. For best results, don’t fear or demonize contradictions and paradoxes. Love and embrace them.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There are Americans who speak only one language, English, and yet imagine they are smarter than bilingual immigrants. That fact amazes me, and inspires me to advise me and all my fellow Cancerians to engage in humble reflection about how we judge our fellow humans. Now is a favorable time for us to take inventory of any inclinations we might have to regard ourselves as superior to others; to question why we might imagine others aren’t as worthy of love and respect as we are; or to be skeptical of any tendency we might have dismiss and devalue those who don’t act and think as we do. I’m not saying we Cancerians are more guilty of these sins than everyone else. I’m merely letting you know that the coming weeks are our special time to make corrections.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Erotic love is one of the highest forms of contemplation,” wrote the sensually wise poet Kenneth Rexroth. That’s a provocative and profitable inspiration for you to tap into. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you’re in the Season of Lucky Plucky Delight, when brave love can save you from wrong turns and irrelevant ideas; when the grandeur of amour can be your teacher and catalyst. If you have a partner with whom you can conduct these educational experiments, wonderful. If you don’t, be extra sweet and intimate with yourself.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the follow-up story to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, our heroine uses a magic mirror as a portal into a fantastical land. There, she encounters the Red Queen, and soon the two of them are holding hands as they run as fast as they can. Alice notices that despite their great effort, they don’t seem to be moving forward. What’s happening? The Queen clears up the mystery: In her realm, you must run as hard as possible just to remain in the same spot. Sound familiar, Virgo? I’m wondering whether you’ve had a similar experience lately. If so, here’s my advice: Stop running. Sit back, relax, and allow the world to zoom by you. Yes, you might temporarily fall behind. But in the meantime, you’ll get fully recharged. No more than three weeks from now, you’ll be so energized that you’ll make up for all the lost time—and more.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Most sane people wish there could be less animosity between groups that have different beliefs and interests. How much better the world would be if everyone felt a generous acceptance toward those who are unlike them. But the problem goes even deeper: Most of us are at odds with ourselves. Here’s how author Rebecca West described it: Even the different parts of the same person do not often converse among themselves, do not succeed in learning from each other. That’s the bad news, Libra. The good news is that the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to promote unity and harmony among all the various parts of yourself. I urge you to entice them to enter into earnest conversations with each other!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Poet Cecilia Woloch asks, “How to un-want what the body has wanted, explain how the flesh in its wisdom was wrong?” Did the apparent error occur because of “some ghost in the mind?” she adds. Was it due to “some blue chemical rushing the blood,” or “some demon or god?” I’m sure that you, like most of us, have experienced this mystery. But the good news is that in the coming weeks, you will have the power to un-want inappropriate or unhealthy experiences that your body has wanted. Step one: Have a talk with yourself about why the thing your body has wanted isn’t in alignment with your highest good.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven was inclined to get deeply absorbed in his work. Even when he took time to attend to the details of daily necessity, he allowed himself to be spontaneously responsive to compelling musical inspirations that suddenly welled up in him. On more than a few occasions, he lathered his face with the 19th-century equivalent of shaving cream, then got waylaid by a burst of brilliance and forgot to actually shave. His servants found that amusing. I suspect that the coming weeks may be Beethoven-like for you, Sagittarius. I bet you’ll be surprised by worthy fascinations and subject to impromptu illuminations.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): During the next 11 months, you could initiate fundamental improvements in the way you live from day to day. It’s conceivable you’ll discover or generate innovations that permanently raise your life’s possibilities to a higher octave. At the risk of sounding grandiose, I’m tempted to predict that you’ll celebrate at least one improvement that is your personal equivalent of the invention of the wheel or the compass or the calendar.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The only thing we learn from history is that we never learn anything from history. Philosopher Georg Hegel said that. But I think you will have an excellent chance to disprove this theory in the coming months. I suspect you will be inclined and motivated to study your own past in detail; you’ll be skilled at drawing useful lessons from it; and you will apply those lessons with wise panache as you reroute your destiny.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In his own time, poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) was acclaimed and beloved. At the height of his fame, he earned $3,000 per poem. But modern literary critics think that most of what he created is derivative, sentimental and unworthy of serious appreciation. In dramatic contrast is poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). Her writing was virtually unknown in her lifetime, but is now regarded as among the best ever. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to sort through your own past so as to determine which of your work, like Longfellow’s, should be archived as unimportant or irrelevant, and which, like Dickinson’s, deserves to be a continuing inspiration as you glide into the future.

Homework: You have the power to re-genius yourself. Guidance: tinyurl.com/ReGeniusYourself.

Grateful for Each Other, Grateful Together: Risa’s Stars Nov. 27-Dec. 3

Risa D’Angeles

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November 26, 2019

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Grateful for Each Other, Grateful Together: Risa’s Stars Nov. 27-Dec. 3

Esoteric astrology as news for the week of Nov. 27, 2019

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, we begin our annual days of gratitude and giving. Thanksgiving this year has a tone of practicality (Capricorn moon), with a bit of the unexpected (Venus trine Uranus). The week (Wednesday) begins with Neptune turning stationary direct. A sense of spirituality permeates the air, a sense of refinement and beauty. Neptune sensitizes us, offering dreams, imagination, artistry, sympathy, compassion, and visions of new possibilities—good virtues to offer family and friends this season.

Thanksgiving celebrations always occur under the happy (Jupiter) signature of Sagittarius, the sign of deep appreciation for good food. Many Sags are secret foodies. Food is one of our most important currencies, becoming more so in the upcoming year.

Sunday, Dec. 1, is the first day of Advent–four weeks of preparation for the birth of the new light, Winter Solstice. (This year, the solstice begins the Festival of the New Group of World Servers.) Everywhere on Sunday evening, people light the first Advent wreath candle, signifying light kindled in the darkness of (and of this Kali Yuga time).

Turning to everyone, my readers, I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving filled with intelligence, joy, goodwill, and loving kindness. Let us be grateful for life, and for each other.

ARIES: There’s so much to be thankful for as an Aries. A brilliant mind that can go here, there and everywhere, filled with goals, plans, ideas, desires, and aspirations. You hear a call to travel, to wander and to be in places far away; the exotic seeking to replace the day by day. But then you feel the pull of responsibilities. Fret not. Something will come and take you away. It’s intelligent, loving and carries you into the future.

TAURUS: You continue to work day and night preparing for the future. Some Taurus’ are focused on the well-being of their community, not wanting to have a future lacking basic needs and comfort. You are sensitive to all the needs of others (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual). Resources are needed to fulfill hopes, wishes and dreams. Know the cosmic law that when we serve humanity the resources to continue that serving appears unexpectedly. Gratitude is the key.

GEMINI: Are you wishing for a change in lifestyle, a change of heart? Are you and a partner, colleague, friend or close associate discussing travel, goals, physical, spiritual, or philosophical needs? Are there disagreements? Know that flurries of conflict are useful and purposeful. Tension creates attention and new understanding. Relationship conflicts and clashes sharpen the mind. Keep discussing. It lays the groundwork for later gratitude.

CANCER: Cancer’s moods change and fluctuate, following the phases of the moon. Soon you’ll swing into action tending to this and that, here and there. However much you want to complete things, you may become overworked and overtired. Should pain or inflammation flare-up, remember turmeric (in caps) and cayenne (sprinkled over food) are naturally anti-inflammatory. Begin new rhythms now that Mercury is direct. You’re grateful that you can.

LEO: The sun, moon, Jupiter, and Venus have shifted into your house of creativity (5th house), fun, entertainment, pleasure, amusement, games, and children. So now you must learn how to live and redesign your daily life with a few more of these qualities that bring you ease, a bit of indulgence, leisure and recreation. It is good to take up an art form, perhaps painting or photography. All of these create a sense of balance and equilibrium. You need a party.

VIRGO: A new level of creativity is emerging, and it surprises you. While family and friends gather together, you’re considering plans, goals and philosophical ideas. When attempting to communicate ideas, you notice some understand you and others don’t. That’s OK. Focus less on others understanding you and more on gratitude, seeking to bring love and harmony (through intentions for goodwill) to all interactions. Wounds then heal. And people listen.

LIBRA: Whenever communicating in coming weeks, notice that many will be listening, seeking to learn philosophical and spiritual truths. You are the steward of this opportunity, and it’s your responsibility at this time. Your words are to bring in new information about the present/future, create a structure of hope and aspiration, and offer pathways of harmony for those seeking guidance and direction. You always do your best. You hold the Temperance Tarot card for many.

SCORPIO: Mercury in Scorpio sends profound messages into your mind, taking you into other dimensions of reality. Mercury is your special messenger, always shielding and protecting you. Tend to any financial issues, then assess once again what your values are and how (and if) you value yourself and your gifts enough. Have your values changed recently? Remember the Scorpio keynote: “Warrior am I and from the battle I emerge triumphant.” This is your banner.

SAGITTARIUS: It’s a very good time for Sags. Actually, because of Jupiter, it’s always a very good time, though if you’re on the path it may feel rocky and tumultuous at times. But behind all the shifts, changes, curves, and precipices, challenges and obligations, toward the mountain of Initiation you walk, and always there is a sense of joy. Joy is from the soul, happiness from the personality. Understand the differences, recognizing when they occur. One sings, the other is … well, learning.

CAPRICORN: Have the weeks been rather frantic, filled with confusion and harsh sounds? How is your health and your hearing? The coming weeks are slower, calmer, offering more repose. Choose comfort, solitude and self-care. Pluto (transformation), Saturn (discipline) and the South Node (the past) continue in Capricorn. They have profound effects on our lives. When in any sort of doubt, call in the Angel of the Presence. Then, harmony appears from within.

AQUARIUS: The planetary energies are gathered in your sphere of friends, future, hopes, wishes, and everything you’ve ever wanted to be and do. So, who are your friends, how do you see your future, what do you hope and wish for, and what are your visions and dreams? What do you need? Needs are important. Wants are secondary. But more importantly, what are you thankful and grateful for? Then the key turns and the door opens.

PISCES: Neptune in Pisces has turned direct. A refinement occurs, a call to more spiritual work, inspiration, intuition, dreams, and visions. You’ll be summoned out from under the water lilies, so you can allow yourself to be seen and heard to those asking for your gifts. Know that confidence grows with each new endeavor. Use your focused will(ingness), love and intelligence. Ask for help when needed. You are well prepared. Your dreams come true.

Getaway Dogs’ Unexpected Dream-Pop Manifesto

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November 26, 2019

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Getaway Dogs’ Unexpected Dream-Pop Manifesto

In early 2018, Kai Killion thought he was going in the studio to record a simple EP for his Santa Cruz dream-pop band Getaway Dogs, which he would release three months later. He did go to the studio, and some of the songs came out quickly. But he couldn’t stop the flow of ideas.

This EP wanted to be an LP, something more deeply produced and nuanced than he’d ever released. On Sept. 27—a year and a half and 500-plus hours of work later—the Getaways Dogs’ sophomore LP Belong was released.

“With this album, I was trying to bring it back to the roots of what I do,” Killion says. “It’s pretty acoustic. From there, we would throw in electric guitar, synth, percussion, vocal harmonies, sound effects—part of the process of layering and experimentation.”

Six year ago, Killion released his solo album Mermaid Legs & Getaway Dogs. These were songs he’d written on the guitar. But the music combined psychedelic textures, along with danceable rhythms, often influenced by Brazilian music. He figured he should make it a band, borrowing the name Getaway Dogs from the album title. Four months after the album’s release, Getaway Dogs were gigging around town.

In the years that followed, members rotated in and out of the band. He’s juggled the identity of his band as an expression of his solo songwriting, and as the result of his musical interactions with whatever musicians happen to be playing with him at any given time. Belong is the natural extension of this duality, and the best version of it. Belong takes the same elements from his solo album—acoustic meets psychedelic meets danceability—and blends it all in a seamless way.

“It’s definitely in this gray area between a solo project and a collaborative project,” Killion says. “Ultimately, it’s my vision, but people see it as a band more than they see it as Kai Killion. And the guys and the gals in the band get to express their truth as artists and musicians.”

One consistent element for Getaway Dogs, besides Killion, is producer Lucas Heinel, who has recorded and produced all of the post-Mermaid Legs releases. He’s also an integral member of the Getaway Dogs live outfit on the synthesizers and percussion—often simultaneously.

Since Belong was recorded in Heinel’s home studio, it gave Killion ample time to explore sounds and textures without having to think about the cost of studio time. Musicians came and went, some playing on several songs, others just contributing one part on a single track.

“We brought our friend Travis [Gibbs] in to play trombone on two of the songs. Joe Kaplow played banjo on a song. Bobcat Rob played organ on a song,” Killion says. “It turned into this big, crazy project. A lot of collaboration, for sure.”

The process also gave Killion the freedom to approach the record more with a singular theme, something he hadn’t done in the past. He’d felt really bothered by the political and social events of late: the new horrifying developments in climate change, iPhone addiction, mass shootings, and the Trump presidency.

“It’s a cathartic expression of this madness, and a reaction. [It’s] also offering hope,” Killion says. “It’s supposed to ground the listener. It goes on this journey, and there are all these psychedelic heavy moments. And there’s calm, stripped-down moments that are medicine for anxiety.”

A major point of the record is to show that all of these problems, whether information overload or the impeding climate collapse, are issues that affect everyone, no matter political affiliation or social status.

“I’m not a total New Age person, but I definitely believe in energy. I believe in a collective consciousness,” Killion says. “Music is meditative healing. It’s not a protest, political kind of thing. Let’s be present. Let’s be thoughtful. Let’s take care of each other. More on that kind of thing.”

The Getaway Dogs perform at 9pm on Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8 adv/$10 door. 429-6994.

Music Picks: Nov. 27 – Dec. 3

Mike Huguenor

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November 26, 2019

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Santa Cruz County live entertainment picks for the week of Nov. 27

WEDNESDAY 11/27

SKA

THE SKATALITES

You like ska, but have you ever experienced the magic of the Skatalites in an intimate club? Now’s your chance to rectify this egregious transgression. The Jamaican group of jazz-trained musicians cut the absolute best ska tracks back in the ’60s, both as an instrumental horn-driven outfit and as a backup band for popular singers. They didn’t invent the ska groove; they perfected it. AC

8:30pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 479-1854.

PSYCH FOLK

KING DREAM

I don’t think Jeremy Lyon (ex-Tumbleweed Wanderers) could have picked a better name than King Dream. His mix of folk, fuzzy garage-rock and true ’60s psychedelia leaves the listener in a dreamy haze, wandering between sleepy innocence and grungy realism. Influenced by Jim James and Jonathan Wilson (the L.A. music producer credited with revitalizing the Laurel Canyon scene), there’s also some Townes Van Zandt mixed in. Oh, and did I mention he used to be a Santa Cruzan and UC Slug before dropping out to mess with this music thing? Eight years later, it seems he made the right choice. MAT WEIR

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 11/30

BLUES

DALLAS HODGE

Blues-rocker Dallas Hodge has been burning down houses with his husky vocals and shredding guitars since the ’70s. He’s played with a million top-notch musicians, including being the lead singer for Canned Heat from 2000-2005. This year, he released his second solo album, Don’t Forget About The Music We Made. Rhythm-and-bluesy opener “Asking Too Much” features the great Coco Montoya on guitar. If you listen to it more than twice in a row, the sheer force of it will make you faint. The rest of the record is the kind of energetic blues rock you’ve been waiting for all your life. AC

8:30pm. Michael’s On Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

FOLK

SEAN HAYES

Part folk, part R&B, part bedroom indie-pop, Sean Hayes brings a lot of disparate sounds into cozy harmony. 2016’s Low Light is a collection of casual gems whose intimate arrangements register almost like dioramas of pop songs. Using little more than acoustic guitar, sparse drums, some well placed organ, and his whispering croon, Hayes’ songs sound like sketches brought to life. With its drum machine handclaps and warm double bass, “Love That Woman” is borderline ASMR, a slowly unfolding love letter that blossoms with the addition of each new instrument. MIKE HUGUENOR

9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25. 479-1854.

HIP-HOP

OMB PEEZY

At only 22 years old, OMB Peezy has already made a name for himself in the hip-hop world. In 2017, The Fader called him the “New Voice of Regional Rap,” and he took that moniker seriously, diving deeper into the music of his homes, Mobile, Alabama, and Sacramento. He’s learned from OGs like E-40 and Boosie Badazz, and has worked with Nef the Pharaoh and SOB X RBE. Earlier this year, he dropped his sophomore album Preacher to the Streets, a gritty sermon on balancing a good, honest life while living in a world that wants to tear you down. MW

8:30pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $16 adv/$20 door. 423-1338.

EDM

ILL.GATES

Specializing in post-dubstep EDM, Ill.Gates gets some wub-wubs in, but mostly goes for buzzy dancefloor anthems big on slippery hi-hats and thick synths. Single “6 Feet Deep,” from earlier this year, is a vaguely threatening head-bopper, creeping forward with horror movie tones and a chorus slick with rubbery frog sounds that push and pull against the beat. Coupled with the disembodied laughs of featured rapper Mayor Apeshit, the whole thing has a little bit of a haunted-house rave vibe. MH

9pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15 adv/$18 door. 704-7113.

SUNDAY 12/1

AMERICANA

TURKEY BUZZARDS

Imagine kicking it on a sun-soaked patio, sitting on a rocking chair, swigging back a couple ice-cold Coors and swapping stories with your closest buddies. The stories meander, but they hold your attention. Besides, you’re not in a rush to go anywhere. The outside world can wait. This is precisely what it’s like to listen to Morro Bay acoustic Americana duo Turkey Buzzards. The music is laid back, intimate and filled with semi-sung stories. The twosome brings this same low-key energy to shows, where you’ll be sure to kick back more than just a couple of Coors before the night is over. AC

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

MONDAY 12/2

JAZZ

AKIKO/HAMILTON/DECHTER

The organ trio holds a special place in the jazz firmament, capable of evoking Saturday night revelry and Sunday morning sanctification with a single surging chord. This bi-coastal triumvirate is one of the premiere combos in the business, a ferociously grooving unit that has recorded several stellar albums. Born and raised in Osaka, Akiko Tsuruga is a top New York B-3 player. Los Angeles guitarist Graham Dechter is a top-shelf improviser who has helped power the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra for the past decade, while LA drummer Jeff Hamilton is the co-leader of said orchestra. ANDREW GILBERT

7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $31.50 adv/$36.75 door. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 12/3

INDIE

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA

From the heights of Mount Olympus, the gods look down at Unknown Mortal Orchestra and laugh. “Look at them,” they say, “foolishly attempting to bring psychedelia, indie rock, and R&B into soulful union. Never can it match the union of Hera and Zeus!” “But wait,” interrupts fleet-footed Hermes, back from some jaunt to Earthly terrain. “2015’s Multi-Love is a modern classic of sinuous polyamory, like an indie rock Channel Orange, or Deerhunter covering Cody ChesnuTT. Plus, they released two acclaimed albums last year.” But the gods are not listening. They are drunk on ambrosia. MH

8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 423-1338.

Home Restaurant’s Liquid Courage

Christina Waters

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November 26, 2019

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So what’s up with the $1 charge for a glass of water at Home Restaurant? A few folks brought it to my attention, and manager/co-owner Linda Ritten explained that it’s part of Home’s high-priority goal to curb water waste and showcase sustainable ingredients.

“We are adamantly against the wastefulness of importing sparkling water, or even bottled water, period,” Ritten says. “Home has a wonderful and expensive in-house water filtration system, and hence we feel it is fair to charge a mere $1.”

Ritten admits people have asked why the restaurant doesn’t just tuck the cost of its reverse-osmosis water system in somewhere else, but the restaurant has chosen to be “open and honest about what we charge,” she says.

Besides, the opportunity to discuss the $1 water charge also provides an opportunity to highlight other thoughtful measures taken by the restaurant. “We use 100% recycled, linen-like napkins that are compostable,” Ritten says. “We compost all kitchen scraps. We are no longer importing any octopus, and are committed to using sustainable Monterey Bay and West Coast seafood, buying almost all of our produce from small local farms. We are proud of what we do and serve, and our serious commitment to creating a more sustainable future for our children and their friends.”

Sounds like the charming restaurant where Brad Briske is chef has given its commitment to sustainability a lot of thought, and I was glad to have Ritten expand on the issue of water. For many of us eco-watchers, water is the final frontier. Kudos!

Home is open Tuesday-Saturday from 5-9pm at 3101 N Main St., Soquel. 431-6131, homesoquel.com.

Red Tradition

A happy band of university colleagues has enjoyed toasting out the old year at an annual Red Restaurant gathering, in which adult beverages are consumed with gusto. Perfect with the vintage vibe of this former roadhouse, Italian restaurant and, for many years now, cozy and spacious saloon. We never miss the chance to grab the best couches and inhale such specialties as brussel sprout chips with capers and smoked sea salt ($6), those addictive truffle and rosemary fries ($6) and the decadent prosciutto-wrapped asparagus ($9).

The extensive list of designer international single malts, bourbons and gins is punctuated with a few creative cocktails. Not to miss is the Prince of Darkness ($11) an update of the classic, wicked Negroni. The Prince features Tanquerey, Amaro, Campari, elderflower liqueur, lemon and simple syrup garnished with a grapefruit peel. Um yes. A few of these and you might work up some optimism for the new year.

Red Restaurant & Bar, 200 Locust St., Santa Cruz. 425-1913, redrestaurantandbarsc.com.

A Super Tuscan Bargain

Everybody knows that Shoppers Corner is the Fort Knox of wine treasures, offering the rare, the smart and the affordable in all shades of red, white and pink. And holidays cry out for some special ideas in wine pairing. Thanks to wine buyer/winemaker Andre Beauregard, I tasted something that you’ll want to include on your winter menu. Poggio Antico “Madre” 2014 from Montalcino, near Siena, is a gorgeous blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese. At 14% alcohol, it can handle any meat you’d care to consider, but will do just beautifully with holiday pasta, brisket, smoked salmon, or turkey. With its perfect balance of tannins and fruit, this red wine is a rounded cascade of cassis, cherries, stone, and leather with a hint of kumquat on the nose. The long finish is perfumed with bay leaves. It drinks like a $50 bottle of wine, but at Shoppers, it’s yours for just under $30. Hurry and get some while it lasts.

Anti-Product of the Week

Instant Gluten-Free Oatmeal in a little 2oz microwaveable cup from Bob’s Red Mill. Seriously, we gave this stuff a fair shot. Added boiling water, stirred, waited 3 minutes, stirred again, and applied almond milk and demerara sugar. But no. It was not only unpleasant, it was beyond awful! GF oats, chia seeds, flax seed, and sea salt never tasted this bad. Truly terrible. I’ve tasted cardboard that was more delicious. Inedible for around $2.50.

Film Review: ‘The Good Liar’

Lisa Jensen

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November 26, 2019

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Here’s a great movie pitch that takes far less than 25 words: Helen Mirren and Ian McKellan. What, you’re still sitting there? Those two names above the title alone should be enough to send any self-respecting movie fan galloping off to the box office.

Indeed, the pleasure of watching these two wily silver foxes together on-screen is the main attraction in The Good Liar, an elegant mystery of con artistry and designated victims that never quite plays out the way you expect. Sir Ian and Dame Helen do not disappoint, testing, cajoling and beguiling each other (and the audience) in every frame, oiling the gears that make the movie run so smoothly.

It’s a lovely piece of craftsmanship from director Bill Condon, who has worked with McKellan before (in the excellent Gods And Monsters, and more recently, Mr. Holmes). He has a shrewd eye for setting off his veteran players to best effect. Every detail of costuming, interiors and psychology layers on a rich impasto of character development for the actors to work with. It’s only in the last 20 minutes or so that the movie goes off the rails, as the improbable revelations mount, leading to a needlessly violent and not-quite-credible finale.

Scripted by Jeffrey Hatcher (who wrote the wonderful Stage Beauty), from a novel by Nicholas Searle, The Good Liar, as its title suggests, is a tale of deceptions. In the opening credits, we see two people filling out less-than-truthful online dating profiles. After some virtual chatting, they meet in a cafe, where both laughingly admit they used assumed names on their profiles. In real life, he is jaunty Roy (McKellan), a dapper retiree, and she is Betty (Mirren), a well-to-do widow. (She wryly calls online dating “matching the delusional to the hopeless.”)

Directly upon leaving the cafe, Roy strolls down to a strip club to join his accomplice, banker Vincent (yes, that’s Jim Carter, better known as Carson from Downton Abbey). They’re about to close a deal involving a couple of pigeons in a financial scam that will fleece their victims’ life savings. We quickly understand that Roy and Vincent have been partners in these elaborate confidence games for years. “You don’t care about the money,” Vincent tells Roy, admiringly. “You love the game.”

So we know it’s game-on for Roy and Betty. She owns a lovely suburban home on the outskirts of London, for which she paid cash, decorated in soothing, upper-class neutral hues. (“It’s like being smothered in beige,” Roy complains to Vincent.) She’s too smart and self-contained to fall for all of his soft soap, yet she finds his company “charming,” and while their relationship remains consensually platonic, she frequently invites him to stay the night in her spare room.

The only potential obstacle to Roy’s plans is Betty’s protective adult grandson, Stephen (Russell Tovey), suspicious of Roy from the start, who pops in all too often to check up on his gran. There are further complications from a disgruntled former victim out for revenge, and a handful of other rather dicey players in a concurrent scheme that may unravel at any moment. Roy’s often ruthlessly effective methods of handling these distractions ratchet up our concern for warm-hearted, increasingly compliant Betty.

This is really all that can be safely revealed about the plot (which includes an unexpected detour to WWII-era Berlin, via flashback). But even in its least persuasive moments—and there are a few—the fun of watching Mirren and McKellan prowling around the screen, leading each other a merry dance (well, not so merry in the closing moments) is mostly its own reward.

McKellan delivers another master class in facial expressiveness, pouting, pleading and wisecracking his way through the various layers of Roy’s personae. Mirren’s pragmatic Betty advocates for sunny common sense, yet lets us glimpse something enigmatic ever lurking at the outskirts of her composure. Theirs is an irresistible heavyweight matchup that the ultimately unstable plot can’t quite support.

THE GOOD LIAR

**1/2 (out of four)

With Ian McKellan, Helen Mirren and Jim Carter. Written by Jeffrey Hatcher. From the novel by Nicholas Searle. Directed by Bill Condon. A Warner Bros. release. Rated R. 109 minutes.

Love Your Local Band: Diamonds In The Rough

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November 26, 2019

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Love Your Local Band: Diamonds In The Rough

When local musician Jim Rosenberg asked longtime pal Paul Logan to join him in the John Prine tribute duo Diamonds In The Rough, Rosenberg was surprised to learn that Logan was completely unaware of Prine’s music, aside from “Angel From Montgomery”—and that was because Bonnie Raitt covered it.

It didn’t matter. When the two got together to work out some Prine songs—Rosenberg on guitar, Logan on bass, both on vocals—it just worked. Logan quickly came to understand why Rosenberg was so obsessed with Prine’s subtle American storytelling style.

“He’s really come to embrace him,” Rosenberg says. “And that’s the power of the songs. They’re just so good.”

Appreciation for Prine has grown. His last album, 2018’s The Tree of Forgiveness, is one of his most successful albums to date. But his public profile has never risen above cult status.

“John Prine has always been one of my favorites. I know every John Prine song there possibly is. The songs are so good that hopefully, if you reach the right people, there are enough John Prine fans out there. It’s just getting them to come out of the woodwork,” Rosenberg says. “This is not like an AC/DC tribute band or a Neil Young tribute band or a Pink Floyd tribute band. It’s definitely obscure.”

7:30pm. Wednesday, Nov. 27. Michael’s On Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

Santa Cruz County Approves 25-Cent To-Go Cup Fee

Todd Guild

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November 21, 2019

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Santa Cruz County Approves 25-Cent To-Go Cup Fee

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously adopted an ordinance that will require restaurants and stores to charge a 25-cent fee on all single-use cups starting next summer. The move is aimed at reducing the estimated 50 million disposable cups used in the county each year.

The ordinance will go into effect on July 1, 2020. It’s set for final approval on Dec. 10. About 300 businesses in the county’s unincorporated area will be affected by the new cup fee, said Tim Goncharoff, the county’s integrated waste management programs coordinator.

“We will be doing extensive outreach to them between now and when the ordinance takes effect,” Goncharoff said. County officials will also conduct follow-up visits with businesses, he said.

Similar to fees on single-use bags at grocery stores, the ordinance means that anyone requesting a paper or plastic cup for their hot or cold drink will have to cough up a quarter, which will go to the businesses.

According to Goncharoff, fast-food litter tops the list of the waste found throughout the county, and king among that is cups. There is no charge under the ordinance if the customers come with a reusable cup.

“This is our effort to remind people to bring your own cup,” Goncharoff said. “It’s the easiest thing you can do to help protect our environment.”

First step

Supervisor Bruce McPherson suggested a regional ordinance through which cities could enact their own fees on single-use cups.

“I think that’s the way we can really have an impact across the whole county,” he said.

In Watsonville, businesses will charge 10 cents per cup starting next July, per a city ordinance that was passed over the summer.

Supervisor Greg Caput called the new rule “a step in the right direction,” and said that the county should take a broader look at reducing waste from fast-food restaurants.

“That’s a lot of garbage that’s going in the landfill,” he said.

The supervisors at future meetings will consider similar ordinances on other pollutants, such as balloons and disposable contact lenses, many of which are washed into Monterey Bay, Goncharoff said. They will also look at clothes made from microfiber, which result in microscopic bits of plastic washing out to sea.

“The board is not done dealing with litter and pollution,” he said. “There is so much more to do.”

The new to-go cup fee ordinance also includes fines and penalties for non-compliance, a step rarely taken, Goncharoff said.

“Our goal is really just to help everyone get compliant,” he said, “and that usually works just fine.”

‘Climate Grief’ and Doomsday Support Groups

Wellness

Andrew Steingrube

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November 20, 2019

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‘Climate Grief’ and Doomsday Support Groups

Wildfires are ravaging California, incinerating homes and spurring large-scale evacuations and mass power blackouts. Then there are droughts that dry out landscapes and lead to water shortages. When the rains do come, powerful storms can cause flooding. All the while, coastal residents are left to worry about rising seas, faster erosion, and warmer, more acidic oceans.

With all these doomsday scenarios to consider, it’s worth asking: What’s climate change doing to our mental health? Enter the world of “climate grief.”

This genre of existential dread is real and growing, fueling depression, anxiety or both, according to a fast-evolving body of psychological research. A 2018 Yale survey found that 62% of Americans are at least “somewhat worried” about global warming, and 21% are “very worried.” The latter figure has almost doubled since 2015. Meanwhile, only 6% of those surveyed believe that humans can and will successfully reduce global warming.

The American Psychological Association (APA) has also recognized the rise of climate grief, and in 2017 released an extensive report on the issue. “When you think about climate change, mental health might not be the first thing that comes to mind,” the report’s authors wrote, though “The health, economic, political, and environmental implications of climate change affect all of us.”

That’s exactly why Michelle Merrill created Novasutras, a climate support group of sorts that recently expanded to Santa Cruz. Founded online in 2017, the organization now aims to establish in-person communities to bring people together and “co-create spiritual practices based in nature,” Merrill says, or more simply, “a way to connect and drop into a community where they know everyone gets it.”

“Climate grief is one of the subcategories of ecological grief,” Merrill adds. “It’s very present right now, because we’re very aware of the effects of climate change. People are realizing that it’s an existential threat, and that there’s a possibility of human extinction.”

This sobering sentiment is echoed by ongoing research right here at UCSC on accelerating climate-linked animal extinctions. From a policy perspective, the 2018 U.N. Climate Report stated that without “unprecedented” action, catastrophic conditions could materialize as soon as 2040.

A recent example that hit close to home were the large-scale power blackouts, aka “Public Safety Power Shutoffs,” by utility Pacific Gas & Electric—a precautionary move to prevent power lines from sparking wildfires in windy conditions, the company said—that left large portions of Santa Cruz County in the dark for days. The collective anxiety was omnipresent, taking on an almost apocalyptic feel. And PG&E says that blackouts like this could become the new normal in California for at least the next decade as it works to shore up outdated infrastructure.

On a global scale, Merrill is also tracking what she calls “climate apartheid,” where the poorest communities are hit first and hardest by environmental tumult.

“We’re seeing this, we know it could happen to us, and we empathize with those affected,” she says. “It’s the constant sense of things getting worse, and a lack of confidence that things will get better.”

Still, humans are resilient and adaptive. There are ways we can cope with climate grief.

“The first and most important thing to recognize is that you’re not alone,” says Merrill. It’s important to acknowledge grief about climate change with others, she explains, while realizing that there are also many reasons for gratitude and joy.

There are now groups like Novasutras, Extinction Rebellion and others not only in Santa Cruz but worldwide, and awareness of the human toll of self-inflicted climate peril is growing.

“It’s very much something we talk about now, more so than three-four years ago,” says Merrill. “Amongst people who are already climate-aware, people are talking about their grief more.”

Opinion: November 20, 2019

Steve Palopoli

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November 20, 2019

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EDITOR’S NOTE

A few people around here probably remember OnRadio, the also-ran online company I worked at in Scotts Valley that originally planned to make web pages for radio stations and syndicate content to them. Yeah, it seems like a completely ridiculous idea now, but hey, it was a different time. The people were great (fellow OnRadio vet Sue LaMothe is here at GT, too) and it’s where I met James Rocchi, the excellent film critic who would go on to be “Mr. DVD” for Netflix. Through him, I did some work for Netflix reviewing movies, back when they thought they needed professional reviewers. It was definitely a wild and woolly time among the barn-like office buildings just off Highway 17 in Scotts Valley (OnRadio’s office was just a couple blocks down from Netflix). This week, Wallace Baine takes Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph back there to discuss that era and Randolph’s new book about the company, That Will Never Work. Also in this issue, Richard von Busack reviews Netflix’s latest volley in its continuing shakeup of the movie world, the $160 million Martin Scorsese epic The Irishman.

Santa Cruz Gives is off to an incredible start—I won’t spoil it here, but I guarantee you’ll be shocked at what we’ve already raised if you check out the leaderboard at santacruzgives.org. We’re on our way toward our goal, but our nonprofits need your help to reach it. Meanwhile, three new sponsors have joined Santa Cruz Gives this year to provide matching funds to be shared among all 38 participating nonprofits: the Joe Collins Fund at the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, Kaiser Permanente, and Barry Swenson Builders. Huge thanks to all of them.

Finally, I’ll be on the panel for the Q&A discussion after the screening of James Whale’s Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein this Thursday, Nov. 21, at DNA’s Comedy Lab. The night starts at 7pm, come on out. It’s all part of this week’s FrankenCon, and it’ll be a lot of fun!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

Re: “Stories to Come” (GT, 10/30): It’s great that you are citing figures and plans as we talk about a renewed library. But the semantics you use are a bit confusing. While the new parking garage could provide some housing, a real proposal with a significant amount of housing is not on the table. What has been on the table for decades is the idea of building a huge parking garage where the Farmers Market is. In a political marriage five years ago or so, the project was made more attractive by adding a library to it and using the parking funds paying for the structure to subsidize part of the construction of the library. Of course, no one asked library users if they wanted their library in the parking garage. I don’t think they do.

With regard to the parking garage end of this artificially joined conversation, the reason many of us oppose spending $60 million to build a parking garage is that our community has a communal obligation to owning and operating a lot less cars within the next 11 years. That’s because, as Greta Thunberg and my daughter keep reminding us, we have to reduce our CO2 emissions by at least 50% in the next 11 years to prevent a runaway climate disaster. And the use of automobiles is our community’s single biggest contribution. So, we are going to succeed at not needing another large parking garage because we have to; because even if we do everything else, from electric cars to solar panels, we have to use a lot less cars in the next 11 years. Anyone who reviews the material of CO2 sources and potential for reductions will come to the same conclusion. With regard to automobile use, It is not a matter of projections anymore, it is a matter of necessity.

Our plans for our little downtown, like the plans for little downtowns everywhere, have to start with a commitment to stopping runaway climate change.

Micah Posner
Santa Cruz

Re: “Secrets and Lyme” (GT, 10/23): Thank you for taking on this divisive issue. You characterize Lyme as rare in California, but I would like to give you some information you may not be aware of.

Lyme and other TBDs are not rare, they are, instead, rarely counted. Case under-reporting is far more than a factor of 10 here, it is at least 40 according to a Quest Lab study which found a rate for their (average in U.S.) 1/3 of market that translates to ~4,000 cases per year. CDPH reports 100 per year. My county, Sonoma, counts a pre-selected number. I have Karen Holbrook (deputy Public Health Officer) recorded saying, “we plan to continue counting 8-10 cases per year.” This is evidence of blatant corruption of the entire case reporting process. CDPH is aware of this incidence and has done nothing.

We have a dozen reportable tick-borne diseases endemic to California, and those are vastly under-reported too. For example, a 1995 study found the control group – consisting of Sacramento blood bank donors—had a rate of 20% infected with Babesia duncani. The study group was similar at 18%. Yet CDPH reports minuscule numbers of this disease, which is related to malaria and is transmissible through transfusions. Blood banks still fail to test donated blood for this infection. Yes, it can be deadly.

Lyme and tick-borne diseases in California: not rare at all.

Karen Miller
Healdsburg

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

Submit to ph****@*******es.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.

GOOD IDEA

The city of Santa Cruz’s new virtual-reality exhibit on sea-level rise is now open at the downtown branch of the Santa Cruz Public Library. The exhibit includes virtual reality headsets, informational panels and fact sheets. The American Geophysicist’s Union is funding the exhibit, with support from a Coastal Commission grant. It’s part of the Resilient Coast Santa Cruz Initiative, a set of projects aimed at developing more resilient coastal management in the face of climate change.

GOOD WORK

Randy Morris, an Alameda County social services executive, will be the next human services director for Santa Cruz County. Morris has served Alameda County for nearly 25 years in a variety of roles, working on child welfare, Medi-Cal, and adult and aging services. Current Human Services Director Ellen Timberlake is retiring and will continue leading the Human Services Department through Randy’s arrival in early 2020, and will assist in the leadership transition.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Anybody that doesn’t like Netflix, that’s like saying you hate Santa Claus.”
-Julian Robertson

Good TimesGood Times

Good TimesGood Times

WEDNESDAY 11/27

SKA

THE SKATALITES

8:30pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 479-1854.

PSYCH FOLK

KING DREAM

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 11/30

BLUES

DALLAS HODGE

8:30pm. Michael’s On Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10. 479-9777.

FOLK

SEAN HAYES

9pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25. 479-1854.

OMB PEEZY

8:30pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $16 adv/$20 door. 423-1338.

ILL.GATES

9pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15 adv/$18 door. 704-7113.

SUNDAY 12/1

AMERICANA

TURKEY BUZZARDS

9pm. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

MONDAY 12/2

JAZZ

AKIKO/HAMILTON/DECHTER

7pm. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $31.50 adv/$36.75 door. 427-2227.

TUESDAY 12/3

INDIE

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA

8pm. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. 423-1338.

Red Tradition

A Super Tuscan Bargain

Anti-Product of the Week

First step

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK