A Deeper Level of Aries: Risa’s Stars March 27-April 2

Mercury turns direct Thursday in the early morning at 16 degrees Pisces.

Mercury remains in its retrograde shadow until April 17. We therefore move forward cautiously with plans, communications and agendas until that time—being careful of our tone, our tongue and our intentions. In Aries, Mercury is highlighted. It’s the Soul ruler of Aries. Usually Aries is thought of as a high-risk, one who challenges the status quo.

Sometimes we feel imperiled by Aries’ actions. They are always wanting to be first, no matter the danger. Their hands shoot up in classrooms when a question is asked. They may not know the answer, but they were the first to respond. Red is their color; risk, their way of life. This is the Mars-oriented Aries. The one building the personality—filled with desires, longings, cravings, and yearnings.

But there is another deeper level of Aries. After many lifetimes, the spirited energy of Mars shifts into the more harmonious energy of Mercury. Instead of putting one’s physical body at risk, the subtler Mercury-ruled Aries begins to study, gather knowledge, read, analyze, inquire, examine, and search for life’s deeper meanings. This is the work of Mercury, which builds a ladder or Rainbow Bridge from the personality to the studious virtues of the Soul. It is here also where one’s desires become aspirations to serve. One looks around, seeking to know how they can be used in service and for Divine Expression. The horoscope is a blueprint of our ever-changing selves. In our many lifetimes, patterns, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors shift. We change our destiny.

ARIES: Family issues are most important. Things that happened long ago and have been forgotten are activated today. We remember behaviors that we might not want to remember and actions we don’t understand. When we find ourselves arguing with another, it could be that we don’t understand something. It’s important to be transparent, aware of all words, actions and intentions. Find solitude and rest wherever you can.

TAURUS: When working cooperatively with others, great things can be accomplished. New ideas flood your mind as you sense the changes occurring in the world, and know you must lead others towards safe alternatives. You have great strength of purpose. Realize others may have different paths and purposes in life. Much mental work will be done. Create notebooks for each project. Upgrade your technology.

GEMINI: Once again the question is: what do you value? Gemini can value two sides of an issue equally. Instead of arguing with others concerning what they value, listen carefully to them. Ask why and how they came to their awareness. At this time, understanding your values defines your life choices. Create a visual and written notebook describing all that you value.

CANCER: Are you experiencing lots of activity, errands, little trips, fixing things, preparing for guests, cleaning up from winter, and preparing for a summer garden? You want others to see your environment as clean, clear and beautiful. This is good. Avoid seeing only one side of things—seek to know the other side, too. Should you notice a shift in another’s behavior, ask them to explain what has changed. It may be that you have.

LEO: It’s possible you’re doing great work, yet others are recognized and applauded instead. This could create irritability that casts a shadow of unease all around. Perhaps you want to show your true self, but somehow you’re misunderstood. The result is emotional upset and possible confrontation with others. Solitude is best. Near a stream, under trees, in a forest or a desert far away. You know this place.

VIRGO: It’s good to gather with others and work together on a common project: perhaps an Easter party, a study, a salon, a reading group, cooking, or dancing, walking, gardening, swimming, or perhaps a parent group. Be sure to balance your presence (ideas, needs, wants) with others in the group. You are to be an equal participant, and how this is done is to coordinate your interests and needs with those of the others. You can do this; it will serve you and make you happy.

LIBRA: Proceed with great care in all areas of public life. Realize the power you project, which you could be unaware of. Be very aware of communication, especially if asking for help, giving orders or speaking with officials. Align with them, letting them know you are on their side. This makes people feel safe. Libra’s most important gift (task, actually) is the ability to create Right Relations, which leads to Right Actions, harmony and peacefulness. Cultivate constant Goodwill. And be truly kind in all ways.

SCORPIO: It’s good to realize your idea of self is greater than you think, and that your beliefs are not who you are. This can become complex, because often we identify with our beliefs and want others to believe as we do. What you’ve learned in the past is good. But your mind now seeks more in-depth information, expanded awareness and new dimensions of thought. On your way to these new realities, take ultimate care of yourself. Remember to say “Every day in every way life is getting better and better.” (Coue).

SAGITTARIUS: Things are both subtle and obvious, here but not there, then and later. How utterly confusing this can be. It’s because what impels you to move forward is hidden, doing the work of transforming you so your vision is a bit unfocused and no amount of anything can correct this. You will have to live with the paradox for a bit. Your life experiences are being reviewed for their usefulness in the times to come. Here’s the virtue of patience to borrow for a while.

CAPRICORN: Use all the tension you’re feeling to pursue a certain creative endeavor. You attempt to coordinate and cooperate with another for the purpose of harmony and a sense of intimacy within a relationship. You are creating Right Human Relations, which comes from the intentions for Goodwill. It’s important for grievances to be brought forth, everyone listening in order to clear the air and find the truth of the matter. If there is conflict, notice who has less power. Stand up, protect and fight for yourself.

AQUARIUS: How is your health? Maintain a daily exercise program and avoid anything that hinders your health. Should you feel frustrations, do not enter into a pained silence. Find someone who can listen deeply without giving advice. Keeping silent in the face of any type of intense feeling can create illness. Work each day on a goal. Should you tend to practical things, you will find yourself living with pride, self-esteem and happiness.

PISCES: A sense of discipline can be hard to find these days. You would prefer to play and have fun, experience life as simple and easy. Anything or anyone making demands upon you or your energy will need to watch out. You may assert your needs quite clearly so that others step back. Gently inform everyone of your need for playful and fun amusements. A Pisces can’t always be sad and hidden and drowning somewhere behind a watery fern.

Rob Brezny’s Astrology March 27-April 2

Free will astrology for the week of March 27, 2019

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Kermit the Frog from Sesame Street is the world’s most famous puppet. He has recorded songs, starred in films and TV shows, and written an autobiography. His image has appeared on postage stamps, and he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Kermit’s beginnings were humble, however. When his creator Jim Henson first assembled him, he consisted of Henson’s mom’s green coat and two halves of a white ping pong ball. I mention this, Aries, because the current astrological omens suggest that you, too, could make a puppet that will one day have great influence. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. Here’s the whole truth: now isn’t a favorable time to start work on a magnificent puppet. But it is a perfect moment to launch the rough beginnings of a project that’s well-suited for your unique talents.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus businessman Chuck Feeney made a huge fortune as the entrepreneur who co-developed duty-free shopping. But at age 87, he lives frugally, having given away $8 billion to philanthropic causes. He doesn’t even own a house or car. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to follow his lead in the coming weeks. Be unreasonably generous and exorbitantly helpful. APRIL FOOL! I exaggerated a bit. While it’s true that now is an extra favorable time to bestow blessings on everyone, you shouldn’t go overboard. Make sure your giving is artful, not careless or compulsive.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Now is a perfect time to start learning the Inuktitut language spoken by the indigenous people of Eastern Canada. Here are some key phrases to get you underway. 1. UllusiuKattagit inosek: Celebrate your life! 2. Pitsialagigavit, piggogutivagit!: Because you’re doing amazing things, I’m proud of you! 3. Nalligijauvutit: You are loved! 4. Kajusitsiatuinnagit: Keep it up! APRIL FOOL! I lied. Now isn’t really a better time than any other to learn the Inuktitut language. But it is an important time to talk to yourself using phrases like those I mentioned. You need to be extra kind and super positive toward yourself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): When he was 20 years old, Greek military leader Alexander the Great began to conquer the world. By age 30, he ruled the vast territory between Greece and northwest India. Never shy about extolling his own glory, he named 70 cities after himself. I offer his example as a model for you. Now is a favorable time to name clouds after yourself, as well as groves of trees, stretches of highway, buses, fire hydrants, parking spaces, and rocks. APRIL FOOL! I got a bit carried away. It’s true that now is a good time to assert your authority, extend your clout, and put your unique stamp on every situation. But I don’t recommend that you name entire cities after yourself.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Now is an excellent time to join an exotic religion. How about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which believes that true spiritual devotion requires an appreciation of satire? Or how about Discordianism, which worships the goddess of chaos and disorder? Then there’s the United Church of Bacon, whose members exult in the flavor of their favorite food. (Here’s a list of more: tinyurl.com/WeirdReligions.) APRIL FOOL! I wasn’t entirely truthful. It’s accurate to say that now is a great time to reinvigorate and transform your spiritual practice. But it’s better if you figure that out by yourself. There’s no need to get your ideas from a bizarre cult.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Studies show that people who love grilled cheese sandwiches engage in more sexual escapades than those who don’t gorge on grilled cheese sandwiches. So I advise you to eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches, because then you will have more sex than usual. And that’s important, because you are now in a phase when you will reap huge healing benefits from having as much sex as possible. APRIL FOOL! I lied when I implied that eating more grilled cheese sandwiches would motivate you to have more sex. But I wasn’t lying when I said that you should have more sex than usual. And I wasn’t lying when I said you will reap huge benefits from having as much sex as possible. (P.S. If you don’t have a partner, have sex with your fantasies or yourself.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If you ever spend time at the McMurdo Station in Antarctica, you’ll get a chance to become a member of the 300 Club. To be eligible, you wait till the temperature outside drops to minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When it does, you spend 20 minutes in a sauna heated to 200 degrees. Then you exit into the snow and ice wearing nothing but white rubber boots, and run a few hundred feet to a ceremonial pole and back. In so doing, you expose your naked body to a swing of 300 degrees. According to my astrological analysis, now is an ideal time to pull off this feat. APRIL FOOL! I lied. I’m not really urging you to join the 300 Club. On the other hand, I do think it’s a favorable phase to go to extremes for an authentically good cause.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scientific research shows that if you arrange to get bitten by thousands of mosquitoes in a relatively short time, you make yourself immune. Forever after, mosquito bites won’t itch you. Now would be an excellent time for you to launch such a project. APRIL FOOL! I lied. I don’t really think you should do that. On the contrary. You should scrupulously avoid irritations and aggravations, especially little ones. Instead, immerse yourself in comfort and ease. Be as free from vexation as you have ever been!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If allowed to do what comes naturally, two rabbits and their immediate descendants will produce 1,300 new rabbits in 12 months’ time. In five years, their offspring would amount to 94 million. I suspect that you will approach this level of fertility in the next four weeks, at least in a metaphorical sense. APRIL FOOL! I stretched the truth a bit. There’s no way you will produce more than 100 good new ideas and productions and gifts. At the most, you’ll generate a mere 50.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The weather is warm year-round and the crime rate is low on Pitcairn, a remote South Pacific island that is a 30-hour boat ride away from the nearest airport. The population has been dwindling in recent years, however, which is why the government offers foreigners free land if they choose to relocate. You might want to consider taking advantage of this opportunity. APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating. It’s true that you could get major health benefits by taking a sabbatical from civilization. But there’s no need to be so drastic about it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You don’t have to run faster than the bear that’s chasing you. You just have to run faster than the slowest person the bear is chasing. OK? So don’t worry! APRIL FOOL! What I just said wasn’t your real horoscope. I hope you know me well enough to understand that I would NEVER advise you to save your own ass by betraying or sacrificing someone else. It’s also important to note that the bear I mentioned is entirely metaphorical in nature. So please ignore what I said earlier. However, I do want you to know that there are effective ways to elude the symbolic bear that are also honorable. To discover them, meditate on calming down the beastly bear-like qualities in yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Now is a favorable time to disguise yourself as a bland nerd with no vivid qualities, or a shy wallflower with no strong opinions, or a polite wimp who prefers to avoid adventure. Please don’t even consider doing anything that’s too interesting or controversial. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, I hope you’ll do the opposite of what I suggested. I think it’s time to express your deep authentic self with aggressive clarity. Be brave and candid and enterprising.

What’s the best joke or prank you could play on yourself? freewillastrology.com

Preview: Zakir Hussain at the Rio

With the release of Rubber Soul in December of 1965, the Beatles started a chain reaction primed by George Harrison’s sitar work on “Norwegian Wood.” It sparked both raga rock and Ravi Shankar’s unlikely reign as an Anglosphere pop star.

An unsurpassed sitar virtuoso who tutored Harrison on the instrument, Shankar came to personify Hindustani music in the U.S. But it was Shankar’s accompanist, the equally revered tabla maestro Ustad Alla Rakha who built a lasting bridge with American music.

He laid out the conceptual framework on the landmark 1968 album Rich à la Rakha, a percussion project that brought Rakha together with legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich, “the first crossover rhythm album that set the tone and opened the possibilities,” says Alla Rakha’s son, tabla master, composer and rhythmic explorer Zakir Hussain.

“The fortunate thing was both Rich and my father believed in improvising,” Hussain continues. “That set the tone, and years later made it possible for Mickey Hart and me to get together. It led to Rolling Thunder, the Diga Rhythm Band and eventually Planet Drum,” which won the first Best World Music Album Grammy Award in 1991.

In many ways, Hussain has dedicated his life to expanding his father’s cross-cultural legacy, and the latest incarnation of his biennial Masters of Percussion tour is dedicated to celebrating the centennial of Alla Rakha, who died in 2000 at the age of 80. Presented by Kuumbwa Jazz Center at the Rio Theatre on Friday, MOP directly echoes Rich à la Rakha with the magisterial contributions of Eric Harland, an era-defining jazz drummer with whom Hussain has collaborated extensively (including the celebrated trio Sangam with tenor sax star Charles Lloyd).

Alla Rakha was equally passionate about bridging divides within the subcontinent, collaborating with masters of South Indian Carnatic classical music. Hussain has continued and expanded that work by reaching out to various far-flung folkloric traditions. Most spectacularly, the MOP tour features the Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar Group from the southwestern state of Kerala.

Until approached by Hussain, the drummers usually performed their millennia-old rhythmic rituals on the chenda drums as part of prayer services in temples, or at religious gatherings. Blown away by the experience of seeing the Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar Group perform, he eventually convinced them to perform in secular settings.

“To see the sonic frequencies that come at you from the dome in the temple, with the incense and the candles and the sandalwood, the smells and sounds and vibrations, it’s almost an out-of-body LSD experience,” says Hussain. “You can almost see the deity dancing to the rhythms. I’m going to let Eric Harland and them alone on stage and see what they cook up. It seems like there are connections in these traditions, and I want to have them explore it, watch them and learn from it. There’s no better way to celebrate my father’s centenary.”

While the tour is naturally a showcase for rhythmic prowess, melody is not forsaken. For one thing, Hussain explores the full sonic range of the tablas, tuned drums that in capable hands can play hundreds of different phrases or ragas. He’s joined by a MOP veteran Niladri Kumar, “the next great sitar maestro after Ravi Shankar,” Hussain says. “He is touted by all musicians and connoisseurs as the maestro of the future.”

A disciple of Shankar, Kumar has explored many of the paths opened by Hussain and Alla Rakha. He’s collaborated with Carnatic master percussionist V. Selvaganesh and jazz artists like British guitarist John McLaughlin (Hussain’s partner in the pioneering 1970s Indo-jazz group Shakti). As a player and composer, he’s also worked widely in Bollywood. Working with younger musicians who have grown up in a multivalent musical world keeps Hussain on his toes (well, fingertips).

“I started from scratch over here at 18 or 19, and by the time I reached 30, I was starting to get familiar with Western music,” Hussain says. “These guys grow up in both worlds simultaneously, and it’s frightening how much information they have and how easily they can project all these musical ideas. It’s great to have that fresh outlook and to lock horns with that.”

Zakir Hussain will perform with the Masters of Percussion at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 29, at the Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $42-$70. 427-2227.

Be Our Guest: Jai Wolf

The best word to describe New York-based electronic music producer Jai Wolf is triumphant.

It’s actually kind of odd how large and emotionally thrilling his music is, because it’s simultaneously so lonely sounding. Imagine someone in their apartment staring at their mirror, preparing themselves for the biggest day of their life—the soundtrack to that moment would be Jai Wolf.

Sajeeb Saha, the mastermind behind the laptop, has lived all over the planet. You’ll hear vast international influences in the music, if you’re not too busy dancing.

INFO: 8 p.m. Thursday, May 16. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $25 adv/$30 door. Information: catalyst.com.

WANT TO GO?

Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Thursday, May. 9 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Tortured Genius in Jewel Theatre’s ‘Breaking The Code’

Alan Turing has a vision of an “electronic brain”—or more precisely, a “digital computer”—that no one around him can comprehend. By the 1930s, Turing is already convinced that machines will one day be able to not only compute, but also to think and feel.

As told in the play Breaking the Code, which opened Friday at the Colligan Theatre, Turing is in the midst of mathematical research when he finds himself getting pulled into codebreaking work for the British government, a task that helps defeat Nazi Germany.

From the outset, Turing views the war as primarily “a most unfortunate interruption” of his work. In taking the job, he bristles at the notion that nationalism might have had something to do with his decision to face down the evils of Adolf Hitler. “Whenever I hear people appealing to my sense of patriotism,” he tells an administrator, “I feel that I’m being made to do something that I don’t want to do.”

Turing’s story, forgotten for decades, has seen a resurgence of interest, especially with the film The Imitation Game about how the mathematical genius’ code-breaking contributions helped win World War II.

To use an analogy from Turing’s time, the stage production of Breaking the Code plays like a vinyl record B-side to the popular film—less mainstream, but every bit as important and just as moving, if not more so. Cinematically, the 2014 biopic-like interpretation of Turing recounts a noble protagonist, detailing obstacles that he overcame to succeed—most notably outright homophobia and an antagonistic rival mathematician who stood in his path. Then at the end, that movie, which won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay (and got nominated for seven others), quickly skims over Turing’s later legal struggles, his unfair treatment at the hands of a government that he’d saved from warring fascism, and also his tragic death.

Breaking the Code, which was first staged in 1986, tells a similar story more compellingly—in a sort of flashback-oriented, jumbled-up reverse. Opening with a slightly older Turing, the performance introduces audiences to a gentle man misunderstood in his time. It slowly weaves in glimpses of his earlier accomplishments, the grandest of which he’s forbidden from discussing with almost anyone.

In the Jewel Theatre production, nine large mathematical graphs lie splayed out around an appropriately sparse set, suspended from the walls and hanging from the ceiling, as if to bring the audience inside Turing’s brain. To create a sense of place, the light operator projects various images onto the screens, rooting each interaction in its own setting—a park set for a picnic, a cozy living room by the fire, a dreary office. From one scene to the next, the actors move across different quadrants of the stage, like thoughts ricocheting around the mind. The experience of the play captures the feeling of fragmented memories jetting back and forth through one’s consciousness, some of them pleasantly soothing and others less so.

Away from work, Turing struggles in many of his relationships. He finds himself shaken by the death of a friend from his youth and weighed down by the pressure to transform his own life into something that much more impactful in order to fill the void left by his former companion.

The Hollywood Alan Turing played onscreen by Benedict Cumberbatch four years ago served audiences a stoic and dashing version of the mathematician—slightly quirky, but for the most part unflappable. The Breaking the Code interpretation, played here by David Arrow, is a more cantankerous, impatient intellectual frequently biting his fingernails or stumbling over his own nervous tics.

Lacking in social graces, this Turing doesn’t relate easily to others, and yet he comes across as real and relatable to all of us. In telling his story, both acts of Jewel Theatre’s latest production open a window into one man’s brilliance—as well as the intensity and heartbreak that sometimes accompany it.

‘Breaking the Code’ by Hugh Whitemore runs at the Colligan Theatre through April 14. jeweltheatre.net.

Bistro One Twelve: The Little Café That Could

In the heart of The Tannery art studio complex, two visits to the rustic, eclectically decorated Bistro One Twelve rewarded us with astonishing, fresh lunch ideas. Our first mid-day visit was when friends from Italy arrived. After a pit-stop at the catamaran offices, we all went to lunch at the café across the little courtyard.

Bistro One Twelve is a great place to soak up the genuinely boho-industrial ambience of the former tannery. Plenty of outdoor seating rings the café, but we liked sharing a communal table in the high-ceilinged-yet-somehow-cozy interior. For a little café, there’s a lot on the menu, distinguished by locally harvested produce, inventively seasoned eggs, plus charcuterie items from El Salchichero.

Our first meal roamed the menu from festive, brilliantly seasoned salads—the quinoa and kale was especially addictive ($5/small)—to plump, crusty flatbread creations hot from the oven. That quinoa and kale dish is truly a destination experience. Maybe it’s the roasted garlic, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes. Maybe it’s the lemon and olive oil dressing, but tender kale and earthy quinoa rarely make such a sensuous impact.

I loved the Flatbread alla Fiamma, with its puffy browned edges barely containing a melting lake of mozzarella studded with olives, mushrooms and roasted artichoke hearts—all topped with more pecorino-romano cheese ($12). Another piping hot Salsiccia flatbread was covered with red sauce and shredded mozzarella, along with outstanding dry-cured sausage and pepperoncinis ($12). These were delicious and generous faux pizzas shared amongst the four of us.

On another visit, we sampled a deluxe bistro coleslaw ($4/small) that went nicely with a Caprese (tomato, mozzarella, pesto) and baguette ($6/small). The baguette sandwiches are playfully named after artists, the Caprese a “Picasso.” The beauty of this menu is manifold: daily specials show off the kitchen’s way with earthy stews, soups and artisanal egg dishes. All soup, salad and sandwich items are available in two sizes.

On our second visit, we discovered one of the culinary secrets of the bistro: the mixed pickles trio—better known as $5 well spent. A pretty pickle tray offered green cherry tomatoes, yellow carrot pickles (fab) and outrageous brussel sprout pickles. The latter were nothing short of bright, tangy and terrific. Very regional, too.

Pastries from Kelly’s and exceptional drinks from 11th Hour Coffee make Bistro One Twelve a logical destination for those who welcome a respite from downtown coffee shops, or a quiet place for a meeting or conversation. The tempting wine and beer lists also make Bistro One Twelve a good happy hour option.

Bistro One Twelve at the Tannery, 1060 River St., Santa Cruz. Open 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Mon-Wed; until 9 p.m. Thurs-Sat; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun. bistro112sc.com.

New Cocktails at Soif

Bar Manager Matt Barron has worked his magic once again, and the resulting house cocktail menu at Soif Wine Bar & Restaurant is spring-loaded with intricate specialties. For those with time to kill and money to burn, there’s the Vesper, a $25 creation of Monkey 47 gin, Jewel of Russia vodka, and Cocchi Americano. Take your time with this one. And there’s much more, like the Sessions ($12) made of beet-blood orange shrub, St. George terroir, Vermouth Blanc, and soda. I want a Bishop ($12) made of jalapeño-infused tequila, lime-orange shrub and agave nectar. Find your new favorite.

Cookie of the Week

The ridiculously satisfying chai shortbread from Companion. I tried one at Cat & Cloud last week. A large, star-shaped, buttery, spice-driven cookie that was big enough for two, and strong enough to partner a double macchiato. $2.50ish. Mmmm.

First-ever VegFest Plants for Success

Home to funnel cakes, corn dogs and cheese fries galore, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk doesn’t exactly bring to mind healthy fare. But on Saturday, April 6, it’s being taken over by vegans.

The first-annual Santa Cruz VegFest, a free celebration, will introduce participants to the pleasures and benefits of plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable lifestyles at the Cocoanut Grove. Organizers hope it’ll be a springboard for a larger audience to get a taste of veganism.

“It’s more important than ever to think about our choices, health, the environment, animals, and our responsibility to our children to make changes,” says Wendy Gabbe Day, a lifelong vegan and the event’s founder. She hopes that both the curious and those already familiar with the lifestyle will come out to try a variety of foods while they listen to presentations about nutrition, raising kids vegan and the environmental positives of a plant-based diet. For the kids, there will be face painting, succulent planting, and fruit-and-veggie printmaking.

Among the 100-plus vendors will be the local favorites Saturn Café, Areperia 831,Vixen Kitchen, and My Cupcake Corner, along with Healthy Milkshakes, Cinnaholic and the chocolate company Endorfin Foods from around the Bay Area. A lineup of eight speakers includes Jackie Busse, a local Palo Alto Medical Foundation pediatrician with expertise in plant-based nutrition for families, and Sailesh Rao, a Stanford-educated former internet developer who shifted careers to focus on reversing climate change. Rao founded the nonprofit Climate Healers and was a producer on the documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret.

DEEP ROOTS

I personally commenced my own nascent journey into veganism based only on a hunch that I should try it for March (without knowing that a “spring cleanse” is a somewhat archetypal tradition). One week into this foray, I heard about VegFest via a volunteer’s announcement at a Zumba class, which led me to Day, the woman behind a festival that seems so spot on for Santa Cruz that it’s hard to believe it’s in its first year.

Day moved to Seabright in 2016 with her husband (producer of the documentary Vegan: Everyday Stories) and two vegan kids. Speaking with Day over tempeh sushi-style bowls at Café Gratitude, she cites her father, who worked as a vegan cooking instructor, as an inspiration for her choices. “Growing up in Eugene, Oregon, it wasn’t that unusual,” she says.

Day mentions how much her 4- and 6-year-old both enjoy the diet. “When we’re out and there’s food, they’ll ask, ‘Is this vegan? Is that vegan?’ They don’t want to eat it if it’s not.’” Children are inherently compassionate, she says, and if taught about meat in the context of animals, they may express a natural distaste for consuming it.  

In Portland, Day worked for the nonprofit Northwest VEG and coordinated a VegFest there since its founding 15 years ago. After moving to Santa Cruz, she was eager to recreate a community rooted in food and compassion. Day decided to restart her passion project locally, posting on Facebook to organize a planning committee, which 20 people joined eight months ago. When she toured venues, the Cocoanut Grove “had the right vibe,” she says. “There aren’t healthy vegan options on the Boardwalk, but there is foot traffic.”

SKY’S THE LIMIT

Sailesh Rao, who will be speaking on climate change, says that adopting a vegan lifestyle “is the single most important action that we can do now to bring the earth back into balance.”

“When the world goes vegan, it’ll free up one-third of the planet’s land area to be returned to forests and draw down the excess carbon from the atmosphere,” Rao says.

Global warming, Rao explains, is going to create “dramatic change” in the next few years. Still, he adds, “while change is inevitable, transformation is intentional. The vegan movement is such a global transformation of our species, which cuts across race, class, creed, gender, and national identity. Adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet is great for our physical, mental and spiritual health, bringing us back into balance with who we really are—a caretaker species of the planet—and helping us evolve out of our savage predator role.”

At the event, pediatrician Jackie Busse will use her time to focus on the health impacts of a plant-based diet for kids.

“Children’s nutritional needs can easily be met with a diet based on whole grains, beans, veggies, and fruit, along with healthy fats like avocado, tofu, nuts, and seeds,” Busse tells GT via email.

But can VegFest fulfill its mission of transcending one-day-event status, serving as an inspirational springboard for fundamental eating and lifestyle changes? Day hopes so.

As I learned from my own vegan experiment, plant-based eating is not as life-altering as one might think. Many everyday options end up being vegan, and many Santa Cruz restaurants have vegan options. Plant-based offerings have come a long way from when I first gave it a go back in the early 2000s, when Tofurkey was but a rubbery novelty. For the veg-curious, Day plans to extend the VegFest experience to include cooking classes, an ongoing speaker series, and documentary screenings—most of them at the Westside New Leaf. She’ll post upcoming schedules on VegFest’s website.

“I’m most excited about introducing people to mainstream vegan foods,” Day says. “Maybe they’ll enjoy a sample and be inspired to make small changes in their lifestyle.”

Santa Cruz VegFest will be at the Cocoanut Grove on Saturday April 6 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. visit santacruzvegfest.org for more information.

Film Review: Santa Cruz Horror in ‘Us’

There’s a lot going on in writer-director Jordan Peele’s new movie Us, but Santa Cruz locals will probably miss some of it on first viewing. They’re more likely to be sitting transfixed through the first third of the movie, thinking “Whoa, I was just there on Sunday,” or, “I used to live on that corner.” (I think you know the one I’m talking about, on East Cliff Drive right above the Boardwalk—it seems like 90 percent of people here either lived there or know someone who did.)

For instance, most people will probably miss the Lost Boys joke that comes up in the first scene set on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk; it’s 1986, and one of the characters says something like “Look, they’re filming a movie over there!” Get it? Yup, Peele is definitely a huge Lost Boys fan.

But in his vision for scares set in Santa Cruz, he’s definitely topped it (also, thanks for not giving us a fake “Santa Carla”-type name, man). Though most of the movie was actually filmed in SoCal, its Santa Cruz geography is convincing—although you’ll probably be asking yourself, “Wait, where is that house on a lake?” at one point or another.

Peele’s shots of the Boardwalk and its surrounding terrain are just so different than anything we’ve seen. Some of them are so clear and sharp, especially in the daytime scenes, that it’s almost like you can see the particles in the air. No filmmaker has ever looked at the landscape of Santa Cruz like this before.

But then, doing things differently is becoming Peele’s stock in trade. His debut film Get Out re-imagined ’70s paranoia thrillers like The Stepford Wives for the black American experience—which probably shouldn’t have been such a revolutionary idea in 2017, but certainly was.

For Us, Peele is in a Twilight Zone state of mind. The fact that he’s hosting a reboot of the show that starts April 1 is proof that he’s all in with the TZ approach, and the premise of an American family attacked by its creepy doppelganger is straight out of the Rod Serling playbook. But then a home invasion setup makes it seem like things could go in the direction of The Strangers and Funny Games. Chase sequences add a bit of Halloween and Friday the 13th. And a very deliberate reference to The Hills Have Eyes—one of the doppelgangers is named “Pluto,” just like one of the lead mutants in Wes Craven’s 1977 film that questioned whether the “normals” were actually the real monsters—comes to have a lot of resonance by the end of the movie.

Ultimately, Us is a mad mixture of all of those influences. (Even a brief shot of the videocassette box for the obscure cult flick C.H.U.D. turns out to be important! How is that even possible?) Us is both scarier and funnier than Get Out, which is quite a feat, but it doesn’t have the same laser focus as Peele’s previous film. At first, that might seem to be a problem, especially plot-wise, when the explanation for everything that’s happening finally comes around. (Which, ironically, was also the weakest part of Get Out, but it’s even more of a narrative stretch here.) The longer you think about it, though, the more sense even the most outlandish parts of Us seem to make—and a second viewing wouldn’t hurt, either.

Meanwhile, the cast members—who also play their doppel-selves—are amazing. If Lupita Nyong’o doesn’t win an Oscar for what is one of the most chilling performances I’ve ever seen, then what good are Oscars anyway? (I know, I know, but still.) Peele’s social commentary is as potent as ever, and it works on a lot more levels here than in Get Out.

So yeah, there’s a lot to absorb in Us, but that’s why we’ll be talking about it for a long time.

US

Written and directed by Jordan Peele. Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright and Elisabeth Moss. R. 116 minutes.

Chaucer’s: A Sweeter Side of Bargetto

Good things come in small packages—and that’s the case with Chaucer’s Raspberry Wine. The contents of the 375-ml bottle pack a big, fruity punch.

This elegant wine is produced from 100 percent pure fruit, no cutting corners here! There are no artificial flavors added.

Made by Soquel’s Bargetto Winery, a local purveyor of fine wines, the delicious Chaucer’s Raspberry Wine ($15) tastes as fresh as spring. The fruity versatility lends many different ways to use the wine: drink it on its own; add it to a mojito with a splash of simple syrup; maybe just pour it over some vanilla ice cream.

At a recent tasting of bubbly at Bargetto, the server suggested adding some raspberry wine for a spritzy kick. What a difference it made, both in flavor and in the attractive pretty-pink color. Bargetto also suggests a recipe to pair with seafood, petrale sole with raspberry wine and black pepper sauce.

In addition to raspberry, try the other Chaucer’s flavors: blackberry, apricot and pomegranate. And there’s a Raspberry Mead, too, taking us back to days of yesteryear.

“In the spirit of Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, experience these unique wines as a pilgrimage in sensory delight,” say the folks at Bargetto.

The Soquel winery is always an upbeat place to visit (they now also have a Monterey tasting room), and there are many wines to taste, including a 2017 Port made from traditional Portuguese varietals—one of my favorites.

Bargetto Winery, 3535 N. Main St., Soquel. 475-2258, bargetto.com.

Salmon Release

Friends came to my house for a potluck recently bearing Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon. It was so good I had to find out more about it. Imported from New Zealand by the local Santa Cruz Fish Company, it’s the first farmed salmon to get the best choice in sustainability by Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.

Mt. Cook’s salmon comes from free-flowing, pure glacial water in New Zealand’s Southern Alps—ideal growing conditions to raise freshwater king salmon. You can find it at the Summit Store and local restaurants such as Café Cruz, Surf City Sandwich, Steamer Lane Supply, Shadowbrook, Palapas, Pono Hawaiian Grill, Crow’s Nest, and Johnny’s Harborside.

The Story Behind Top A Lot Yogurt Shop

Jimi Cardarelli and his wife Lindsay Blaz bought Top A Lot in 2012 with the help of Cardarelli’s brother Steve. For them, it was a welcome relief from restaurant life.

Cardarelli has decades of experience in the restaurant industry, having formerly worked at Tiny’s (now IHOP) in Capitola, and the Red Apple Cafe in Watsonville. He says opening Top A Lot was a step toward retirement, where he can now employ students and young people and work when he likes.

That is, when he’s not playing guitar, singing or yelling in the local heavy metal band Rumble Steelskin.

Are people surprised when they find out you own a yogurt store?

JIM CARDARELLI: Yeah, I also have a Harley that’s usually parked out front. Most people think I own a motorcycle shop or something—but I’m not qualified for that. Back in the ’90s I was actually homeless for two-and-a-half years. I went to jail and got out and stayed sober. I lived in a Sober Living Environment (SLE) and worked. I saved up and now own a business here. A lot of the guys that work at the jail come here and they’re like “Hey Jimi!” because I used to work in the kitchen there.

Why a yogurt shop? Did you ever think about a restaurant?

We were looking for a place to buy that was affordable, and we used to come here a lot when Jerry Zanzinger owned it. Everything that we could afford then in restaurants was screwed up—there was either no business or the place needed a complete facelift and extra work. I left a note for [Zanzinger] at the time, and he called me and we bought it. We have kept everything the same since.

Do you get any weird flavor suggestions?

We’ve gotten bacon-maple donut, mango chili, and hibiscus lime. I’ll also try something weird once in a while and end up throwing half of it away. Like cucumber. Lots of times we will think of flavors from our childhood and we will make a flavor, like Mexican chocolate.

topalot.com, 426-1375.

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Film Review: Santa Cruz Horror in ‘Us’

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Chaucer’s: A Sweeter Side of Bargetto

Chaucer
Good things come in small packages—and that’s the case with Chaucer’s Raspberry Wine. The contents of the 375-ml bottle pack a big, fruity punch. This elegant wine is produced from 100 percent pure fruit, no cutting corners here! There are no artificial flavors added. Made by Soquel’s Bargetto Winery, a local purveyor of fine wines, the delicious Chaucer’s Raspberry Wine ($15)...

The Story Behind Top A Lot Yogurt Shop

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