Music Picks: July 24-30

Aaron Carnes

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July 23, 2019

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Santa Cruz County live entertainment picks for the week of July 24

WEDNESDAY 7/24

GARAGE

THE ATOM AGE

Saxophones are sexy! There are a lot of bands right now playing proto-punk and garage-rock—they have the swagger, they have the attitude, but do they have the saxophone? Rest assured, San Jose garage-rockers Atom Age do. The band even has an organ, the kind that will make you want to go-go dance with a vengeance. And it’s all punked-up to John Spencer Blues Explosion levels. It’ll take you right back to the golden age of rock ’n’ roll, when concerned parents were calling this the devil’s music. AC

8:30 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 423-1338.

JAZZ

SUN HOP FAT

While they hail from the East Bay, Sun Hop Fat’s musical inspiration comes from East Africa—specifically Ethiopia, which in the ’50s and ’60s gave birth to Ethio-jazz, a genre which took traditional Ethiopian scales and played them through western instruments. Originally, the genre came about through an order from Emperor Haile Selassie. Today, Sun Hop Fat carries a torch for the genre with a funky, danceable version of Ethio-jazz. MIKE HUGUENOR

8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $8 adv/$12 door. 479-1854.

THURSDAY 7/25

BLUEGRASS

WOOD & WIRE

There is a bracing quality to Wood & Wire’s bluegrass: the manic precision of the banjo, the slapping strum of the guitar, the sudden vocal harmonies. Together, they evoke the sharp coolness of a mountain spring. On last year’s Grammy-nominated North of Despair, the Austinites tore through bluegrass with the reckless abandon of a punk band. When they settle in to songs like “As Good As It Gets,” the group sounds almost like a real-life Soggy Bottom Boys, complete with boot-stomping rhythm and snap-tight harmonies. MH

8 p.m. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $11 adv/$13 door. 335-2800.

FRIDAY 7/26

COMEDY

BRANDIE POSEY

Brandie Posey is a big fan of ska music, so right there she’s really dividing the crowd. Luckily, she’s also wicked funny and clever, a co-creator of Picture This and co-BFF of the Lady to Lady podcast, where guests join in once a week for candid games, discussions, admissions, and advice. One listen and you’ll either be loving her more than you already did or forgiving her for her ska proclivities and giving her a second chance. This lady rocks. AMY BEE

7 and 9:30 p.m. DNA’s Comedy Lab, 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz. $20 adv/$25 door. (530) 592-5250

SATURDAY 7/27

INDIE

B BOYS

B Boys hails from New York, and its sound is the city personified, from New-Wave rhythmic showdowns to No-Wave melodic repetitions dripping with disdain and scorn. Frenetic energy, coupled with a solitary sense of detachment, lends both apathy and sharp urgency to lyrics underlining the frailty and absurdity of the world we find ourselves in. Yet pockets of fun are found within any apocalypse, and the same is true with B Boys’ anti-anthem shouts and machine-gun drum rolls. AB

9 pm Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 adv/$12 door. 429-6994.

COUNTRY

SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS

Is it country? Is it punk? Is it cowpunk? Whatever you call it, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers’ music is as fresh as it is rootsy. Originally a New Yorker, this now-North Carolinian writes songs reminiscent of the best parts of Hank Williams or Merle Haggard, with a voice for fans of Bonnie Raitt, the bravado of Joan Jett and the humor of Dolly Parton. Sophomore album Years paints the picture of a band that has grown—dare we say even matured—since their 2017 debut. MW

9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 423-1338.

MONDAY 7/29

HIP-HOP

MAHTIE BUSH

Sacramento rapper Mahtie Bush doesn’t mess around. He once filmed a video of himself burning local weekly newspaper the Sacramento News and Review in an act of protest. In his music, he’s just as unrelenting. Over hard-hitting, classic boom-bap beats, he spits truth in conversational flow about life growing up in the foster care system. When he sees injustice, he calls it out—fiercely. Now Bush comes to Santa Cruz on his “Mahtie Bush for Mayor” tour. Up in Sactown, he’s a local legend—and maybe the city’s next mayor? AC

9 p.m. Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $5. 423-7117.

JAZZ

ALICIA OLATUJA

A singer possessing a voice brimming with joy and glory, Alicia Olatuja is equally versed in gospel and bel canto, R&B and jazz, soul and pop. She draws on all of these currents on her gorgeous new album Intuition: Songs from the Minds of Women, a project reimaging songs written or defined by artists such as Sade, Angela Bofill, Brenda Russel, Imogen Heap, Tracy Chapman, Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, and others. For the show, Olatuja strips the songs down to essentials with a sensational Los Angeles quartet featuring bassist Ben Shepherd, drummer Anthony Fung and pianist Josh Nelson. ANDREW GILBERT

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

Q&A: ‘The Formula’ Strips Down Shakespeare

Christina Waters

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July 23, 2019

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Q&A: ‘The Formula’ Strips Down Shakespeare

On July 30, Santa Cruz Shakespeare will present a staged reading of The Formula, a modern reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by playwright Kathryn Chetkovich, for one night at the Grove. Chetkovich spoke to GT about her take on the Bard’s classic.

How did the idea come to you?

KATHRYN CHETKOVICH: The play got kicked off for me in part by thinking about A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and how, at the heart of the comic events of that play, there’s a character who needs a magic potion to fall back in love with the ‘right’ person for him. We live in an era in which nearly half of marriages end in divorce, and yet the myth of ‘the one’ strongly persists. With The Formula, I wanted to write a play that has sympathy for that wish, and that also questions it, gives us a glimpse of the damage it can do.

Do you think you might be robbing Shakespeare’s original of some of its enchantment by having the plot’s outrageous mix-up caused by chemistry, rather than magic?

Just to be clear: I am not going head-to-head with Shakespeare! I liked playing with the idea of taking the world we already live in, one in which we already have drugs to adjust moods and mental states, and pushing it just a little further: If you could take a drug to fall or stay in love, would you?

Is comedy especially difficult to write?

I suspect writers always think whatever they’re doing is the hardest possible thing they could have chosen. But yes, comedy is hard. It needs to look effortless, for one thing. And it’s very personal; not everybody finds the same things funny. So much has to happen in the playing—the actors have to have the gift of comic timing, and just the right touch, and they need to know how to create what’s funny without pointing to it as funny. When all those actorly things are clicking, memorably hilarious things can happen, even with a single word. I still laugh when I think of J. Todd Adams saying ‘remuneration’ as Costard in a Shakespeare Santa Cruz production almost 10 years ago.

How can actors affect the success of this play?

The words are important, obviously, but a play is a performance; everything ultimately depends on the actors. That’s especially true for comedy, I think. When the scene turns a corner and is suddenly more serious or painful, it’s the actors who can make that turn and bring us along.

A rom-com with a subtext of edgy uncertainty—is it possible to marry these two theatrical tropes, the satisfying ending and the nagging doubt?

As a title, ‘The Formula’ refers to this chemical cocktail that can create feelings of love, but it’s also a nod to the genre of romantic comedy and our expectations for what’s supposed to happen and who will end up with whom. I like a play that makes you think and feel as well as laugh, and I think for both Ellen [Maguire, the director] and me, the goal here is to find that balance—a play that’s a comic ride all the way along, but that also stays with you after it’s over.

On a scale of 1 to 10, just how excruciating is it as a playwright to sit through a staging of your own characters doing what you’ve written for them to do?

Just about every character in this play gets hurt or behaves badly at one point or another In life. I tend to avoid conflict and chaos, and my characters often start out polite and careful—and then I have to keep pushing to get underneath that surface and let them take the risk, say the awful thing, make the terrible mistake. Stories aren’t about well-adjusted characters going through pleasantly uneventful days, after all. That’s not why we go to the theater.

What we’ll see next week is a staged reading. What can audiences expect to see and experience?

A staged reading has minimal rehearsal, no props, no costumes, and very little, if any, stage direction. The actors are holding their scripts. So it’s a very stripped-down form of dramatic storytelling. But there’s also something exciting about it—the actors are creating a world out of almost nothing, and the audience becomes part of the process by helping to fill in that world with their imaginations.

‘The Formula,’ by Kathryn Chetkovich, a staged reading, 90 minutes, no intermission. Tuesday, July 30, 7:30 p.m. at The Grove in Delaveaga Park. Free. santacruzshakespeare.org

Love Your Local Band: Watch Me Breathe

Mat Weir

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July 23, 2019

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Jake Ward asks deep questions, like, “Can we throw it all away/Can we leave this shallow place/Can we leave it all behind/And be finally alive?” Those are from “Nothing Else,” the first song off his band Watch Me Breathe’s upcoming sophomore album The Strange Pull of What You Really Love. And Ward doesn’t have an answer for them.

“In a way this album is much less personal than [2018’s The Lighter Side of Darkness],” he explains. “And much more observational about society and things that don’t make sense to me.”

The lyrics are poetic and thought-provoking, all under the guise of radio-ready, alt-rock melodies—or what he calls “progressive pop-rock.”

“A lot of people use genre as an opportunity to identify with other bands,” he says. “I’m more interested in inventing a new genre that makes people go, ‘What is that? I want more.’”

Originally begun in 2017 as a solo project, Ward adopted the name Watch Me Breathe to avoid the singer-songwriter ego-stroking and let the music speak for itself. He still plays all the instruments for the recordings, but is joined by Ryan Green on bass and his brother Carl Ward on drums for live gigs.

Ward has worked with a number of local musicians, including Tess Dunn and Alex Abreu, as a producer and engineer, through his recording studio and company Jake’s Lab.

“I spend a lot of my time producing, which I love, and it pays much better than being a musician,” he says.

9 p.m. Wednesday, July 24. The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $7. 429-6994.

Companion Bakeshop’s Sourdough Secrets

Christina Waters

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July 23, 2019

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Mortals rarely master the life-giving art of baking great bread. At least not quite the way the pros at Companion Bakeshop have.

But even amateurs can polish their baking skills to a high gloss by taking one of Companion’s mouth-watering classes, starting with a July 31 Summer Pie Workshop from 5-8 p.m. The very hands-on classes are kept small, 10 to 15 students at most. All are held in the kitchens of Companion’s mothership on Mission Street in Santa Cruz.

You’ll take your baking skills to another level and learn about ingredients, beautiful presentation, professional techniques, and tricks to create satisfying results. At the Sept. 1 Sourdough Basics class, for example, you’ll not only learn the basics of bread making, but students will take home their own sourdough starter and a loaf of bread as well. (There’s a Jan. 15 sourdough class, too.) The Oct. 5 class builds skills for brunch pastries—galettes, scones, quiche, oh my. November and December classes focus on holiday pies and holiday sugar cookie decorating.

Classes are offered at various times, including afternoons and evenings, so there’s no excuse to avoid becoming a better baker. Cost is $80 and includes a take-home example of the pastry created in class.

companionbakeshop.com/workshopsandevents

Missing in Midtown

It was the opening night of Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and my friends Tom, Ellen and I needed a quick dinner before we drove up to Delaveaga Park. Oyunaa Mongolian Cuisine, with its luscious dumplings, was our choice. We walked to the door only to find that a sudden PG&E power outage had closed Oyunaa’s doors for the next few hours. So we headed for Jaguar, a few doors down Soquel Avenue, only to find that it was also closed—permanently. What is it with Midtown? Why aren’t there more dining choices, and why do the ones that take a stab often fail to succeed? (Big questions, for sure, and ones we’ll be exploring in future columns.)

We sprinted for Lillian’s and were quickly accommodated. Small table in the bar OK? Yes! Orders taken swiftly, and pasta also arrived quickly—along with those gooey, delicious arancini. Thank god for Lillian’s, always full but somehow able to squeeze in a few more. But seriously, there just aren’t enough choices in this neck of the woods.

Orin Martin Tells All

Orchard wizard Orin Martin, UCSC’s Alan Chadwick Garden guru, has a new book coming out in late August, Fruit Trees for Every Garden, from 10 Speed/Penguin Random House and written with daughter Manjula Martin. Stay tuned for more about a book celebration Sept. 15 at the UCSC Hay Barn. Orin Martin’s definitive book is available for pre-order now!

bookshopsantacruz.com

M is for Mole

The 7th-annual Mole & Mariachi Festival gets down and spicy on Saturday, Sept. 7, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park. That means Mariachi bands including Mariachi Feminil Orgullo Mexicano, folk dancers, kids’ activities, and the main event: the Mole Tasting Competition. Mole—an unforgettable sweet and savory Mexican sauce, often containing chocolate and sensational on everything from chicken to ice cream—will be available to sample. Tasting kits will be available for purchase; six tasting tickets for $10.

Festival attendees can also purchase a wide variety of mole-inspired food items from local vendors who will be selling tamales, tacos and more at this admission-free, solar-powered, zero-waste community event.

thatsmypark.org/events/mole-and-mariachi.

Film Review: ‘The Art Of Self-Defense’

Lisa Jensen

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July 23, 2019

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Quién es más macho? Certainly not Casey, the hapless, sad-sack protagonist of The Art Of Self-Defense.

Casey’s self-imposed quest to overcome his fear of, well, everything is at the heart of this dark, subversive black comedy that skewers the popular notion of “manhood.”

Written and directed by Riley Stearns, the movie begins with a simple enough premise, like one of those Charles Atlas body-building ads that used to be found in comic books in the ’50s and ’60s: nerdy little guy suffers humiliation and decides to shape a new life for himself as a tough guy. Casey, played by Jesse Eisenberg in a state of all-consuming anxiety, wants to be a “real man” in the worst way, and that’s exactly how he begins to achieve his goal as his journey becomes ever more brutal and surreal. The movie is like a fever dream of Fight Club, as reimagined by Woody Allen.

Eisenberg’s Casey is an accounting drone so faceless his fellow employees don’t even know who he is; he can’t hang with the trash-talking guys in the break room at work. Even his phone answering machine disses him: “You have only one message. Nobody else left you a message.”

One night, walking home with a bag of doggy chow for his only companion—his Dachshund—he’s beset by a gang of helmeted bikers who beat the tar out of him for no reason. Determined to stop being a victim who’s afraid of everything, Casey enrolls at a karate school run by a fierce alpha male who goes only by “Sensei” (Alessandro Nivola). “I want to be what intimidates me,” Casey tells his new mentor.

He’s come to the right place. Sensei rules his dojo with an iron fist (and foot), and tolerates no perceived weakness, not even from a novice like Casey. After a few painful humiliations, Casey learns enough moves to graduate to the next level, yellow belt. But—surprise!—his newfound abilities do not automatically guarantee the respect he craves. For that, he has to engage in ever-more-draconian behavior, which eventually begins to nag at his own inner moral code. When Casey is invited to start attending Sensei’s exclusive and mysterious night classes, the question becomes how much of himself he is willing to give up to become a monster of his own creation.

Some satirical bits are predictable (although still amusing), as when Sensei schools Casey in more “masculine” lifestyle choices. But it’s silly when Casey gets real leather belts made for his classmates in their appropriate karate-level colors, and Sensei is absurdly touched by the black one he receives. You can get a black leather belt at any Kmart. A subplot about Anna (Imogen Poots), the only female at the dojo, never quite gels; she’s just there to provoke some trendy feminist ire over her ill-treatment.

But the movie scores points in many more subtle moments. A gunshop dealer explains to Casey the principle of handgun registration, saying, “You can’t just walk in off the street to buy a gun to shoot somebody. You have to wait two weeks to do that.” Even the guys in the break room roll over in obedience when Casey puts on the appearance of a bully; that’s what they respect. And in a twisted narrative full of surprises—never assume you know where this movie is going—the finale packs the most explosive punch.

THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE

(***)

With Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola and Imogen Poots. Written and directed by Riley Stearns. A Bleecker Street release. Rated R. 104 minutes.

Be Our Guest: Matisyahu

Aaron Carnes

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July 23, 2019

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Reggae is spiritual music, and New York artist Matisyahu explores his Judaism with the same intense emotional fervor as Jamaican Rastafarians.

Since his first record in 2004, he’s produced incredible, Grammy-winning songs that use reggae as their base, but incorporate alt-rock and hip-hop as well.

His most recent album Undercurrent is a much more personal, vulnerable record, a concept album that tells Matisyahu’s own personal story. It’s also a much more stripped-down offering than anything he’s released since he started playing music.

9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $26.50. Information: catalystclub.com.

WANT TO GO?

Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5, to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Birichino’s Blockbuster Italian Wine

Josie Cowden

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July 17, 2019

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Let me start by quoting Santa Cruz winery owners John Locke and Alex Krause: “You can’t be too rich, too beautiful or too birichino.” The word means “mischievous” or “naughty” in Italian, and there’s a lot to be said for that!

Locke and Krause’s Malvasia Bianca 2018 ($17) is one of the most popular wines they make at Birichino, where sales have skyrocketed. Although the Malvasia grape is planted in many parts of Italy, it’s actually of Greek origin. In the winery owners’ words, “Malvasia threaded her way through the forests of Calabria before slipping ashore in California under cover of darkness.” Look for lovely fragrances of jasmine, lime blossom and elderflower—with all the delightful floral notes, it’s like a bouquet of summer flowers in your glass. Bright and invigorating, this dry white wine pairs well with a wide array of food.

If you want to try it, along with the rest of Birichino’s wines, head to their airy tasting room in downtown Santa Cruz.

Birichino, 204 Church St., Santa Cruz. 425-4811, birichino.com.

Rio Del Rhone Sale

Rio Del Rhone Rouge is an easy-drinking red blend made by the Corralitos Wine Company, which began in 1999 when a group of friends got together at harvest to bottle the fruits of their labor.

They are now closing the company and selling off most of this Rouge—but only by the case. What was once $32 a bottle is now $100 a case, so quite a deal for such a well-made wine.

Rio Del Rhone Rouge is stored in StoreMore America, 9687 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Call 687-0123 for information.

Storrs Winery at Seascape

Seascape Sports Club’s new monthly wine tastings are open to non-members. Storrs Winery is featured at the next one from 6-7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 19. For $20, you get ample wine tastings and plenty of hors d’oeuvres, plus a fun evening of mixing, mingling and live music.

Seascape Sports Club, 1505 Seascape Blvd., Aptos. 688-1993, seascapesportsclub.com.

Will Santa Cruz ‘Get Hooked’ on Seafood Restaurant Week?

Jacob Pierce

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July 17, 2019

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Will Santa Cruz ‘Get Hooked’ on Seafood Restaurant Week?

The Central Coast had a booming fishing industry until about 20 years ago, says Roger Burleigh, marketing and supply chain management for Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust.

These days, most locals aren’t aware of what fish swim in the bay’s waters. The Fisheries Trust hopes to change that with Get Hooked Restaurant Week, which launches Monday, July 29, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 4. By coordinating with local restaurants, Burleigh aims to educate curious foodies and highlight the area’s fishing operations—“A way to have a genuine Monterey Bay seafood experience,” he says.

What’s your favorite fish?

ROGER BURLEIGH: One species we’re going to highlight is lingcod, and the neat thing about that species is some of the fish are blue, and their flesh looks like it was dumped in a vat of blue dye—but when you cook it, it turns white. People get freaked out by it: “Oh my god! Is that a GMO?” Nope, completely natural. It’s part of their life history. It’s a flaky white fish. It’s delicious.

What’s life like out there for those in the industry?

It’s hard. I can’t speak for the fishermen, but they have had to endure quite a lot over the decades, and there just aren’t that many young fishermen. They’re out there. But much in the same way that the demographics for farmers in this country are getting older and older, the same thing is happening with our local fleet. It’s what they call graying of the fleet. Unlike agriculture, where there’s a known input and output and timing of everything, you’re dealing with completely wild fisheries. The fishermen are at the mercy of weather, ocean conditions. And when they do catch what they’re targeting, sometimes they’re having to compete in the marketplace for foreign imports. Really, we’re trying to get them the highest value for their fish.

This event opens the door to some fun puns—“hook up,” “get hooked on local fish,” “We’ll hook you up with great fish deals.” Have you been playing around with that?

Oh, absolutely. It’s constantly running through my mind how we can spin words, and one new feature that we didn’t hold during the Monterey event is we’re holding a closing dinner at the Food Lounge, Sunday, Aug. 4—$50, four-course meal. Internationally renowned Santa Cruz chef Diego Felix is doing the catering. I’m calling it a finale dinner, with an emphasis on the “fin” part. And our tagline is “Putting Monterey Bay’s best fish forward.”

Get Hooked Restaurant Week is July 29-Aug. 9. gethookedmontereybay.com.

Opinion: July 17, 2019

Steve Palopoli

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July 17, 2019

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EDITOR’S NOTE

RBG mania couldn’t have come at a better time. In an era when the national discourse can be downright depressing on a daily basis, our sudden collective obsession with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has made politics fun again. And the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music is giving us a reason to get excited for the Notorious RBG all over again this summer. The festival’s much-anticipated premiere of composer Kristin Kuster’s When There Are Nine, inspired by Ginsburg’s life, was the impetus for the “My Own Words: The Law and Legacy of RBG” event, which GT did a cover story about back in May. Now the main event is finally here, as the Cabrillo Festival kicks off July 28.

But what’s most interesting about Christina Waters’ cover story on the festival this week is that she goes beyond the flashiest RBG angle to look at how the festival is doing more than just talking about gender equality (the 2019 festival was conceptualized around the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage) by actually investing in the work of women composers. And in multiple interviews with those composers, she then flips the issue around again by showing how what they’re bringing to the festival is about so much more than gender. The musical visions that will be realized this year are some of the Cabrillo Festival’s most exciting ever, and I think you’ll enjoy reading about them.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

GT’s cover story “Wish You Were Here” (GT, 6/26) would be dangerous if an authentic immigrant from Mexico would be able to boast about the truth of dual citizenship (which is basically what the white “ex pat” and “author”) is blabbing about. Many of us have understood the beauty, merits, and community that exists in Mexico, but many of us have not had the white privilege to bounce from one county to another. A better and more important story would for a real journalist to travel to Watsonville to talk to people who are the real deal and who can offer real insight about what it is like to exist in two countries, who have labored day in and day out, and who are now subject to political scorn, hate and violence by this “so called” democracy. Dig a little deeper for local stories GT, we know you can do it, because stories like this are far from insightful. ¿Se Puede?

Gregorio Paz
Watsonville

Shocking Declines

Thank you for the recent article informing your readers about the impact of climate change on amphibians (GT, 7/3). While in Belgium, I was chatting with a government biologist and was astounded to learn of the decline of flying insects in Southern France. He told me there had been a 75% reduction over the past 40 years. Since then I’ve learned that nature is dying everywhere, but most of the media seems unconcerned. Please make it a habit to inform your readers of what is going on. Unfortunately, rising tides and increasing storms look like secondary issues when compared to the collapse of life’s infrastructure. Food production will come under increasing pressures. Young people need to be acutely aware of how seriously climate change will impact their futures.

Mike Duffy
Scotts Valley

Thank You, Nina

Santa Cruz and the world is a much better place because of Nina Simon (GT, 6/5). Thank you, Nina for your farm-to-table exhibit. You eloquently set up a banquet table and guided us to gold-plated plates where we stared directly into the farmers’ eyes. Thank you for the foster children’s exhibit where each child unfolded their personal belongings, opening our hearts to their daily life struggles. I could go on and on, but most importantly I wanted to let you know that your spirit and impact has truly been felt, and you will be sorely missed.

Debbie Morton
Santa Cruz

Re: Nuz on Recall

This Good Times article contains biased snark. I agree that Republicans as a group make decisions that are callous. But by pointing out that Republicans can be shitbags, it’s as if you’re saying the “opposite” is automatically laudable? That’s just stupid. Drew Glover lied about there being no drug use at the Ross camp, and five people died on the premises. I consider myself to be very far left. Glover and this article are embarrassments to the group.

— Ed

Re: Expats

Terrific article about Janet, and women moving abroad. Even better was the inverted perspective on living in the U.S. Just as the U.S. needs to widen its global vision, the rest of the world needs to stop thinking of the U.S. as the only repository for the American Dream.

— Chris Watson

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

PISTON THE NIGHT AWAY

Andy’s Auto Supply, one of the oldest businesses on Pacific Avenue, will be celebrating a big anniversary on Sunday, Aug. 4—70 years after Andy Mekis first opened the downtown shop. The Mekis family is inviting friends and longtime customers to what it’s calling “a local old school afternoon.” Maple Street will be closed down, with custom cars and sepia-toned memories on display, while classic songs like “Little Deuce Coup” and “Mustang Sally” blast on the stereo.

GOOD WORK

TEAM OF THE CROP

Last month, California State Senator Bill Monning honored “Food, What?!” with the 17th District’s Nonprofit of the Year Award, prompting the group’s staff to join Monning in Sacramento for the annual California Nonprofits Day Celebration. Watsonville-based “Food, What?!” is a youth empowerment and food justice organization that engages youth in relationships with land, food and each other. It uses organic farming, nourishing food and a caring community as vehicles to help youth grow.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“If I had any talent that God could give me, I would be a great diva.”
-Ruth Bader Ginsburg

5 Things To Do in Santa Cruz: July 17-23

GT Staff

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July 16, 2019

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5 Things To Do in Santa Cruz: July 17-23

A weekly guide to what’s happening

Green Fix

Kindred Herbs Plant Sale

Kindred Herbs—a new, woman-owned plant nursery—is hosting its first medicinal plant sale, with more than 60 herbs from around the world for sale. As herbalism grows in popularity, many wild plants are being over-harvested. Kindred Herb’s medicinal plant nursery allows farmers and gardeners to grow and harvest their own herbs locally without depleting the wild populations that are at risk. There will be Ayurvedic, Chinese, European, and North American herbs; all are grown organically and have been selected for their potency and suitability for the cool Santa Cruz climate.

INFO: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21. 2014 Ocean St. Extension, Santa Cruz. kindred-herbs.com. Free entry.

Art Seen

Tiny Winery Concert Series

NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series has made a name for itself by featuring small-town artists on the big audio stage. In the same spirit of showcasing local talent, Armitage Wines is launching its Tiny Winery concert series with an intimate outdoor performance by rising country music star Jesse Daniel. Daniel grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and recently received the 2019 Ameripolitan Award for honky-tonk male performer. There will be wine, snacks and tunes. Proceeds benefit Quail Hollow Integrated Arts.

INFO: 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 19. The Armitage Winery, 705 Canham Rd., Scotts Valley. armitagewines.com/blogs/events. $28.

Thursday 7/18-Sunday 7/21

Flynn Creek Circus

Get ready to go down the rabbit hole with Flynn Creek Circus’ all new big top production Out of Hat. The show is told from a rabbit’s perspective, and explores both the magic of physics and the physics of magic. Meet the sinister magician, the bunny revolutionaries, a two-headed girl, and more. This year’s cast features the world famous “gentlemen jugglers” Kris and Harrison Kremo from Switzerland.

INFO: Varying showtimes, check online for information. SkyPark, 361 Kings Village Rd., Scotts Valley. flynncreekcircus.com. $12 child/$27 adult/$20 seniors and students.

Tuesday 7/23-Tuesday 8/7

Santa Cruz Shakespeare ‘Pay What You Will’

Summer is for outdoor theater, and in Santa Cruz, that means Shakespeare. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the summer tradition of Santa Cruz Shakespeare, regardless of finances, which is why SCS is sharing show previews at a special, donation-based price. Guests can “pay what you will” on any seat in the house, starting at a $5 minimum for The Comedy of Errors and The Winter’s Tale.

INFO: 2 and 7:30 p.m. The Audrey Stanley Grove, 501 Upper Park Rd. in Delaveaga Park, Santa Cruz. 460-6399. santacruzshakespeare.org. $5 minimum/donation.

Thursday 7/18

‘The Search for the Loch Ness Monster’

If Nessie didn’t exist, then why would Scotland have a protocol in place for when she/he is found? Guidelines under the Scottish Natural Heritage government group stipulate that if and when Nessie is captured, a DNA sample should be taken before releasing him/her back into the lake. Join guest lecturer and adventurer David Miln Smith, the first man to swim from Africa to Europe across the Strait of Gibraltar, in a talk about his love of the Loch Ness Monster, and what it was like to search for it.

INFO: 1-3 p.m. Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. 420-6177. Free.

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WEDNESDAY 7/24

GARAGE

THE ATOM AGE

8:30 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 423-1338.

JAZZ

SUN HOP FAT

8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $8 adv/$12 door. 479-1854.

THURSDAY 7/25

BLUEGRASS

WOOD & WIRE

8 p.m. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $11 adv/$13 door. 335-2800.

FRIDAY 7/26

COMEDY

BRANDIE POSEY

7 and 9:30 p.m. DNA’s Comedy Lab, 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz. $20 adv/$25 door. (530) 592-5250

SATURDAY 7/27

INDIE

B BOYS

9 pm Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10 adv/$12 door. 429-6994.

COUNTRY

SARAH SHOOK & THE DISARMERS

9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12. 423-1338.

MONDAY 7/29

HIP-HOP

MAHTIE BUSH

9 p.m. Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $5. 423-7117.

JAZZ

ALICIA OLATUJA

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

‘The Formula,’ by Kathryn Chetkovich, a staged reading, 90 minutes, no intermission. Tuesday, July 30, 7:30 p.m. at The Grove in Delaveaga Park. Free. santacruzshakespeare.org

Missing in Midtown

Orin Martin Tells All

M is for Mole

THE ART OF SELF DEFENSE

WANT TO GO?

Birichino, 204 Church St., Santa Cruz. 425-4811, birichino.com.

Rio Del Rhone Sale

Rio Del Rhone Rouge is stored in StoreMore America, 9687 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Call 687-0123 for information.

Storrs Winery at Seascape

Seascape Sports Club, 1505 Seascape Blvd., Aptos. 688-1993, seascapesportsclub.com.

Get Hooked Restaurant Week is July 29-Aug. 9. gethookedmontereybay.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PHOTO CONTEST WINNER

GOOD IDEA

GOOD WORK

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Kindred Herbs Plant Sale

Tiny Winery Concert Series

Flynn Creek Circus

Santa Cruz Shakespeare ‘Pay What You Will’

‘The Search for the Loch Ness Monster’