Bottle Jack Winery Maintains Momentum, Plus Bargettoโ€™s La Vita Release

As I sipped the supple Sangiovese along with dinner of pork loin and braised English peas, I realized that it was a very good idea for John Ritchey to showcase his Bottle Jack wines in the Surf City Vintners tasting complex. The more the wine opened, the more I liked it. And so will tasters who discover this and other Ritchey wines at the tasting room he began sharing with Silver Mountain Winery last month.

โ€œBefore we opened the new tasting room, people had to really seek us out,โ€ Ritchey admits. โ€œThe increased visibilityโ€”and the responseโ€”has been great.โ€

Filled with a robust and velvety mid-section of savory cherries, the 2014 Bottle Jack Winery Sangioveseโ€”made from Machado Creek Vineyard, Morgan Hill grapesโ€”has now become one of our house favorites. A Santa Cruz native, Ritchey found his way to winemaking by way of Italy (a year studying abroad in Florence) and Moldova (Romania) as a Peace Corps volunteer. โ€œMoldova was my first experience in winemakingโ€”I just fell into it by pure accident since wine is such a huge part of the culture there.โ€

It was in those Moldovan vineyards that Ritchey first began using a bottle jack to press the freshly harvested grapes. And after a stint with Beauregard Vineyards, then a degree in enology, Ritchey made the leap in 2012, and Bottle Jack was born.

Taking a double gold in the recent State Fair competition, Ritcheyโ€™s big, peppery Rhone-style blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes, all from the high slopes of Zayante Vineyards, also pleased us, especially with after-dinner cheeses. At 14.5 percent alcohol, it is a robust stand-alone blend that almost begs to be carefully savored. Notes of allspice and leather fill the center of this opulent creation. Plums adorn the finish. Ritchey calls this wine โ€œalmost a field blendโ€ in that the two varietals were harvested on the same day at the same vineyard.

โ€œThe wine was pretty much made in the vineyard,โ€ he says.

The winemaker may be modest, but the California State Fair judges were blown away, awarding Bottle Jackโ€™s Syrah-Grenache blend a Double Gold award and a 100 point rating.

Fans of big reds, rejoice! Bottle Jackโ€™s Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Super Tuscan blend, and Merlot are also yours to sample and purchase at the tasting room.

402 Ingalls St., Ste. 29, Santa Cruz. Open Friday from 3 -7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, Noon-5 p.m. bottlejackwines.com.

 


 

Bargetto La Vita

Celebrating its 85th year, our regionโ€™s oldest winery is set to release its annual La Vita blend at a party on Sunday, June 10 from 3-5 p.m. at Bargetto Winery. Produced from a custom blend of 50 percent Dolcetto, 29 percent Refosco and 21 percent Nebbiolo, the grapes for this yearโ€™s La Vita were grown on the Regan Estate Vineyards. This yearโ€™s La Vita beneficiary is Pajaro Valley Community Health Trust, so come on down and enjoy the ceremonial unveiling of the new wine, plenty of tastings, live music and light appetizers. Tickets, $30, can be purchased online at bargetto.com or by calling Bargetto Winery at 831.475.2258 x10. La Vita retails for $60 per bottle.

 


 

Changes a la Cart

The bountiful UCSC Farm & Garden Market Cart is open! Located at the corner of Bay & High streets, the market cart will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays only this season. Stop by and explore the fragrant, organic world of such early season offerings as blueberries, strawberries, broccoli, lemons, arugula, salad mix, shallots, radishes, and a variety of greens including pac choi, spinach and chard. Flower bouquets will also be available, along with packaged quinoa grown on the UCSC Farm.

From Judge to Governor, a Look at Primary Races Affecting Santa Cruz County

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When Syda Cogliati talks about her experience, she sounds as proud of her educational background as she does her legal credentials.

Cogliatiโ€”a judge pro tem whoโ€™s practiced law for the past 23 years, and is also a professor at the Monterey College of Lawโ€”is running for Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge.

Cogliati volunteers with fifth graders in the Elementary Law Program. She coaches a high school mock trial team.ย She additionally has served on Pacific Collegiate Schoolโ€™s Diversity Committee. All that comes in handy, Cogliati says, because helping people better understand the legal system is one of her favorite parts of the job. โ€œThat experience I have of helping people understand the justice systemโ€”Iโ€™m going to bring that bench,โ€ she says.

The first judicial election in eight years is shaping up to be one of the most interesting races of the June 5 primary, with Deputy Public Defender Zach Schwarzbach having also thrown his hat into the ring.

Cogliati has an amassed an impressive list of endorsers, including California Senator Bill Monning,ย Assemblymemberย Mark Stone, Assemblymember Anna Caballero, four county supervisors and all seven Santa Cruz city councilmembers. Two years ago, California Women Lawyers rated her โ€œwell qualifiedโ€ to be a Superior Court judge.

Schwarzbach, meanwhile, says he decided to run because heโ€™s found that the best judges come from trial attorney backgrounds. He says he knows the ins and outs of the population that goes through countyโ€™s courts. Heโ€™s worked closely with those who suffer from mental illness and drug addiction. Schwarzbach, a public defender since 2008, has worked on more than 50 trials, which he says make up a small fraction of the total cases that have come across his desk, as many of those are resolved outside the courtroom.

Schwarzbach, a Santa Cruz local, says he has extensive background in selecting juries, which he adds is a deceptively tricky task and one that involves judges asking more questions than ever. โ€œYou canโ€™t just walk into a courtroom and expect to pick a jury and do it well. This is an area where someone who has done a lot of trial work, I think, has an advantage,โ€ he says.

Schwarzbach has earned endorsements from Santa Cruz County Criminal Defense Bar, Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, retired Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano, and retired Capitola Police Chief Rudy Escalante, whoโ€™s now the CEO of Janus of Santa Cruz.

Judge John Salazar, who endorsed both candidates, says Schwarzbachโ€™s trial background could be immensely helpful on the bench. He adds, though, that Cogliati is more experienced overall and that she has compiled an especially impressive rรฉsumรฉ of volunteer experience as well. โ€œI know them both pretty well and feel theyโ€™re both well-qualified to be a judge. They both have the traits you look for,โ€ he says.

Each candidate, Salazar explains, is smart and experienced, and both care deeply about the community.

The judicial election one of a few local races to watch, along with Measure Sโ€”the city of Santa Cruzโ€™s sales tax initiativeโ€”and the countyโ€™s District 4 supervisorial race, where Greg Caput is facing off against four challengers.

Activist Steve Pleich is running against District 3 County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty. Ballots will feature local school board measures in certain areas, and the city of Santa Cruz also has measures on UCSC growth and cannabis enforcement in the era of legalization.

Statewide propositions include measures on natural resource conservation, financial responsibility with transportation funds, cap-and-trade changes, minor election changes and rainwater catchment systems.

Then thereโ€™s the gubernatorial election.

In the race to be Californiaโ€™s next governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom remains the head of the pack, several months after former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosaโ€”and fellow Democratโ€”had appeared to be gaining on him.

The raceโ€™s top two candidates from the June ballot will face off in November.

Politicos across the state had long been expecting an all-Democrat governorโ€™s race this coming fall and viewed the election as a two-man contest between Newsom and Villaraigosa. But while several candidates having been inching up in the polls in recent months, Villaraigosa has remained mostly flat-footed. Formerly undecided voters have been throwing their support behind other candidates in the crowded race. The most recent poll now has Villaraigosa third, behind Republican businessman John Cox.

Newsom, a former San Francisco mayor, remains the frontrunner, with support from a quarter of likely voters. Three other high-profile gubernatorial candidates are trailing, but still in the chaseโ€”Republican Assemblymember Travis Allen and two Democrats, state Treasurer John Chiang and Delaine Eastin, the former state schools chief.

Veteran political journalist Phil Trounstine, whoโ€™s based in Aptos, has argued that Democrats hoping to flip congressional seats in November had better root for a Newsom vs. Villaraigosa November runoff. That contest would energize liberal voters to get back to the polls in the fall, he says. If Cox is on November ballots instead, the opposite will be true, he argues.

โ€œThose crucial California House races will be substantially tougher for Democrats because Republicans will have a candidate,โ€ Trounstine wrote on his site, CalBuzz.com.

As part of a final push, Villaraigosa visited the Central Coast on Saturday, May 26, for a tour of Cruzio Internet, visited farmworker housing and announced new endorsements.

Villaraigosa has gotten support from Santa Cruz Mayor David Terrazas, Monterey County Supervisor Luis A. Alejo, Watsonville City Councilmemberย Felipe Hernandez and former California Assemblymember Fred Keeleyโ€”as well as former Watsonville mayors Eduardo Montesino and Daniel Dodge.

Santa Cruz County voters with a vote-by-mail ballot for the June 5 primary may return their ballot to any polling place in the State of California no later than 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 5. Ballots may also be mailed in or dropped off at one of several drop boxes in the county anytime until 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 5.

The countyโ€™s election offices in both Santa Cruz and in Watsonville will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., this Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and June 3, to accept vote-by-mail ballots. For more information on voting and local races, visit votescount.com.

Music Picks May 30-June 5

Live music highlights for the week of May 30, 2018.

 

THURSDAY 5/31

JAZZ

SANTA CRUZ WOMEN OF JAZZ

Reassembling the inviting cast of players from last yearโ€™s celebration of Ella Fitzgeraldโ€™s centennial, the latest edition of Kuumbwaโ€™s โ€œLive and Localโ€ series features a bevy of Santa Cruzโ€™s top jazz singers backed by a talented band. Expanding the focus from Ella to include her contemporaries and the temporal range from the swing era to contemporary jazz repertoire, the show features the three-part harmony Jazz Birdsโ€”Gail Cruse, Cher Peterson and Vicki Coffisโ€”and vocalists Ann Whittington, Charmaigne Scott, Ruby Rudman Judy Turowski, and the New Flamingo Swing Orchestraโ€™s Stella Dโ€™Oro (who also performs around town with her band Stella By Barlight). The band also borrows from New Flamingo with the orchestraโ€™s tenor saxophonist Brad Hecht and drummer Olaf Schiappacasse joined by guitarist Gino Raugi, bassist Bill Bosch, and reed expert Phil Smith. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $21/adv, $26.25/door. 427-2227

FRIDAY 6/1

REGGAE

FIDEL NADAL

One of the most important Argentinian bands in the โ€™80s and โ€™90s was the reggae-hip-hop-punk band Todos Tus Muertos, which translates to โ€œAll Your Dead.โ€ It was a vibrant, eclectic and political group. The band name was a reference to the dead bodies in Argentinaโ€™s โ€œDirty War.โ€ Since the band broke, vocalist Fidel Nadal has embarked on a successful solo career. Dropping the hip-hop and punk elements, he plays mainly roots reggae with a strong dancehall edge, still political, but also lots of personal material. Heโ€™s still a big star in Argentina, while in the U.S., heโ€™s loved by die-hard reggae fanatics. AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Moeโ€™s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $15/adv, $20/door. 479-1854.

FRIDAY 6/1

ELECTRO-FUNK

PLANET BOOTY

Hereโ€™s a fact you probably didnโ€™t know, but wonโ€™t be surprised to find out: Oakland electro-funkster group Planet Booty has a song called โ€œDas Bootyโ€ that opens with this line: โ€œLadies and gentlemen, people of the world, I want to welcome you to โ€ฆ your booty.โ€ The six-piece band prides itself on creating a โ€œsweat-a-thonโ€ at their shows, mixing all your favorite โ€™80s electronic funk, โ€™70s disco, and early โ€™90s R&B with booty-themed lyrics and a lot of humor into the best dance party you can attend this week. Underneath all the wackiness is a message of self-love, so long as what you love is your booty! AC

INFO: 9 p.m. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $10. 429-6994.

SATURDAY 6/2

BLUES-ROCK

ERIC LINDELL

Born in San Mateo, California, singer-songwriter Eric Lindell made the jump from the Bay Area to New Orleans in the late 1990s, making his way onto the national blues-rock scene and eventually landing a spot on the Alligator Records roster. With a reputation for raw talent, a range that spans blues, funk, R&B and rock, and a natural feel for the New Orleans sound, Lindellโ€™s blue-eyed soul and attention-grabbing guitar work have established him as a favorite of roots and blues fans, and sealed his fate as a California local-boy-done-good. CJ

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moeโ€™s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 479-1854.

SUNDAY 6/3

PSYCH

STRANGE MISTRESS

The self-proclaimed โ€œheaviest rock band in Outerspace, Nevada,โ€ Strange Mistress blasts their way onto the stage at Flynnโ€™s Cabaret. The ex-Don Quixoteโ€™s is a perfect location for this otherworldly psych quartet. They launched their first CD, Divisions, last year and that cosmic piece of third-eye-opening ear fuel is still sending us to alternative dimensions. MAT WEIR

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Flynnโ€™s Cabaret, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $15. 335-2800.

MONDAY 6/4

PROG-METAL

ATLAS MOTH

These days, when someone tells you theyโ€™re in a metal band, that means one of two things: either they play punishingly slow 20-minute-long stoned-out jams, or they are going to take you on a wild adventure in riffage, mathematics and insane technical wizardry while simultaneously screaming out all of their darkest feelings. Atlas Moth falls primarily in the second camp, while dabbling in the first. Thereโ€™s so much variety in their songs that seasoned prog-metal listeners will have their minds blown quite a bit. AC

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $12/adv, $15/door. 429-4135.

TUESDAY 6/5

IRISH

JOHN DOYLE

John Doyle is a standout of contemporary Irish music. A renowned guitarist and bouzouki player, Doyle composes tunes that bend tradition and blur lines. Performing original tunes and Irish traditional numbers, the one-time member of Irish supergroup Solas, Doyle brings his artistry to Soquel for an intimate house concert hosted by the Celtic Society of the Monterey Bay. CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. House concert, Soquel. $22. 464-9778. Information: celticsociety.org.

TUESDAY 6/5

HIP-HOP

COZZ

In a world of Soundcloud hip-hop and Xanax rappers, itโ€™s hard to see a true talent in the game go underrated. Hopefully Cozzโ€™s latest full-length, Effected, is what he needs to blow up into the mainstream. Signed to J.Coleโ€™s Dreamville Record since 2014, Cozz has mixed smooth lyricsโ€”riding between being woke about society and still wanting to have fun like any 20-somethingโ€”with new beats that have an old school feel. MW

INFO: 9 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $20/adv, $25/door. 429-4135.

TUESDAY 6/5

INSTRUMENTAL/POP

CHRISTIE LENร‰E

The reigning international fingerstyle guitar champion, Christie Lenรฉe is a captivating artist who wows audiences around the world with her guitar virtuosity and ability to blend pop hooks with fingerstyle and guitar tapping techniques. The result is an otherworldly sound full of complexity and sonic layers. Drawing comparisons to Michael Hedges, Joni Mitchell and Dave Matthews, Christie Lenรฉe is also a masterful storyteller and songwriter with a gift for bringing people together through music. CJ

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Michaelโ€™s on Main, 2591 Main St., Soquel. $10/adv, $12/door. 479-9777.

 


IN THE QUEUE

TOMORROWS BAD SEEDS

Reggae-rock out of Hermosa Beach. Thursday at Catalyst

ALEX LUCERO & LIVE AGAIN

Central Valley soul outfit. Friday at Michaelโ€™s on Main

TOMMY ALEXANDER

Indie-rock singer-songwriter. Saturday at Flynnโ€™s Cabaret

SANTA CRUZ HIP-HOP SHOWCASE

Khan, Alwa Gordon, TDC and QEDJ. Saturday at Crepe Place

MITCH WOODS & HIS ROCKET 88โ€™S

Jump nโ€™ boogie blues. Sunday at Moeโ€™s Alley

Giveaway: GARY MEEK QUINTET

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Saxophonist Gary Meek spent two decades touring and recording with Brazilian jazz legends Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. His resume also includes collaborations with keyboardist and composer Jeff Lorber, bassist Brian Bromberg, drummer Dave Weckl and more. In total, Meek has appeared on 200-plus recordings. On June 21, the Encino-born, Monterey-based Meek brings his quintet, comprising Akili Bradley on trumpet and flugelhorn, Eddie Mendenhall on piano, Dan Robbins on bass, and Skylar Campbell on drums, to Santa Cruz.

INFO: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 21. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $21/adv, $26.25/door.


WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 13 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Love Your Local Band: LAUREN WAHL & SIMPLY PUT

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Lauren Wahl recalls being nervous singing harmony vocals on stage with her sister nine years ago with the band Bluetail Flies. Now, sheโ€™s not only a lot more comfortable on stage, sheโ€™s got her own band, and pushing her debut EP for her group, Lauren Wahl and Simply Put.

She started writing songs six years ago, after she took up the guitar. But for the most part, she only did a couple of open mics. Sheโ€™d played in other groups, too, like the Wild Rovers and Flypaper Blues. Now sheโ€™s taking her songs that have mostly been confined to her bedroom out into the Santa Cruz scene.

โ€œIโ€™ve had this ambition for a long time,โ€ Wahl says. โ€œThe songs have been around for years. Iโ€™ve been waiting to record them. So itโ€™s been really neat to see everything take shape and come to life with everyoneโ€™s parts. Iโ€™m super excited.โ€

Initially, Wahl expected to record a solo album, but then she met fiddle player Mariah Roberts when both accompanied Austin Shaw at his EP release show in 2015. That initial recording time fell through. When she re-booked it for the beginning of this year, not only did she bring Roberts, but she had a full band, which included Mike Kelly on bass, Zen Perry on drums, Justin Hambly on guitar, and Dylan Short on keyboards.

โ€œEverybody just kind of came together and wanted to play, and it just became this full band we werenโ€™t expecting at all,โ€ Wahl says. โ€œThe songs just come to life. Theyโ€™re the same songs, but itโ€™s different to hear them with an entire band behind them. [Iโ€™m] becoming more comfortable with myself and not feeling like I need to fit in with a certain genre or cater to a certain sound. I feel like itโ€™s just OK whatever it is.โ€

Opinion May 30, 2018

EDITOR’S NOTE

I think sometimes when people see that someone has been named โ€œartist of the year,โ€ they gloss right over it. Especially if they donโ€™t recognize the name, and even more so if theyโ€™re not particularly familiar with the art form.

That could certainly happen with this yearโ€™s Santa Cruz Artist of the Year winner Cheryl Anderson. Though sheโ€™s been a part of the Cabrillo community for nearly three decades, she has made her mark in choral musicโ€”which is way, way off the radar of most people.

What I love about this weekโ€™s cover story by Christina Waters is that it reminds us of the meaning of an award like Artist of the Year, and reveals the incredible story of the person whose name many of us might have otherwise glossed over. Believe me, once you meet Anderson in this story, and hear how sheโ€™s impacted and uplifted the lives of the people who have had the good fortune to sing with her and learn from her, you will absolutely understand why she is Artist of the Year, and why it matters. I think this is a huge part of GTโ€™s mission as a part of the alternative press: to uncover and explain how people we may have never heard of, or whose work we may not have previously understood, are impacting our community. In a very positive way, in this case. Congratulations to Cheryl Anderson, and thanks for reading!


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Read the latest letters to the editor here.

We Are Your Neighbors

Contrary to Robert Arkoโ€™s (GT, Letters, 5/22) unsupported assertion, those who support the quicker, cheaper, safer bike and pedestrian option for the railroad right-of-way are not โ€œa small group of folks.โ€ Rather, we are thousands of your neighbors and community members. Even the RTC admits that a passenger rail service will cost millions of tax dollars in subsidies that could be used for more sensible transit solutions, and will not significantly impact our current traffic problems. If thereโ€™s a small group of folks involved in this issue, itโ€™s the transportation bureaucrats, construction execs, and nostalgia buffs who are pushing the expensive RailTrail boondoggle. I urge your readers to visit trailnow.org/rail-trail-questions to get a look at a reasonable proposal. Letโ€™s start building our Santa Cruz Greenway now!

Mordecai Shapiro | Santa Cruz

Re: Rent Control

My rents have historically been under market. It has been better to keep tenants at reasonable rent rather than deal with turnover costs.

Unfortunately rent control is a game changer. I now need to โ€œprice inโ€ the additional risk and costs associated. As my units vacate I need to increase rents significantly to cover additional tenant regulatory costs.

Most people donโ€™t realize that rental units in a beach town work on a 2-3 percent rate of return. Think about that for a second. Would you be willing to deal with tenants, legal risks, potential catastrophes, city permitting bureaucracy and everything else for 3 percent? Just something to think about.

โ€” Santa Cruz Resident and Rental Owner

Jacob, your articles are always well done. Your rail trail articles were excellent and this continues your good work.

On this subject we all have opinions, and I donโ€™t live in the city limits, so I am not going to be affected by the Santa Cruz rent control. I am a empty-nester with a four-bedroom three-bath house. My wife and I have been doing work on our house to split it into a two-unit duplex. We have stopped all work on our project until we see if this will affect the rest of Santa Cruz County. We are a future rental already taken off the market, and we wonโ€™t be the last. This is a really bad idea for renters. It will shrink supplies and drive up costs for landlords which will have negative effects for anyone renting. I have four sons living in the area, and this will not help them as renters.

โ€” Paul

Re: Trees on Ocean St. Extension

This is an excellent article. Our neighborhood (in Newark) is going through the same issues with PG&E and every point you make is a duplicate of what is going on here. Their supply line is less than 15 feet from our homes and they insist it is safe. But we think differently. We get different answers, or nonsensical answers, or no answers at all to our questions. Their reimbursements are pitifully inadequate. They are destroying our property and home values for no good reason that any of us can see except perhaps for PR and CYA purposes. They are refusing to meet with us as a group, rather insidiously approaching each individually. They use lies and threats and coercion to get their way. Is there some way for us to connect with people at your end so we can join forces and try to stem this nonsense?

โ€” Lynne Mercer


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

LITTLE PICK-ME-UP

Big Peteโ€™s Treats, a trailblazer in the world of Californiaโ€™s cannabis-infused cookie industry, is expanding its annual beach cleanups far beyond its Santa Cruz home. This yearโ€™s summer of environmental events is a tour starting in San Diego on Saturday, June 2, with five stops along Californiaโ€™s coast. This yearโ€™s effort, which won an environmental award from the San Francisco Chronicle, will culminate with a cleanup in Santa Cruz on Oct. 13 in honor of founder Pete Feurtadoโ€™s birthday.


GOOD WORK

GARDEN SUPPORTERS

The California Fertilizer Foundation (CFF) is a real group that apparently gives out grants, and it isnโ€™t as crappy as it sounds! The CFF is hosting a presentation at noon on Wednesday, May 30, at Happy Valley Elementary School. The CFF School Garden Grant will fund improved soil quality for the schoolโ€™s edible garden and help perennial plants attract pollinators. The school garden uses a Life Lab curriculum from UCSC to educate students about healthy food and nature through garden-based education.


QUOTE OF THE WEEK

โ€œTo be an artist is to believe in life.โ€

-Henry Moore

5 Things to Do in Santa Cruz the Week of May 30-June 5

Art Seen

โ€˜Pride!โ€™ PopUp Exhibit

This exhibit is centered around the the personal experiences of LGBTQ+ identifying individuals in Santa Cruz County. With themes from political rights, representation and intersectionality, the work of six local artists isnโ€™t limited to just one idea or medium. This is a one-night-only event, so hop to it. ย 

INFO: 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 1. Santa Cruz Art League, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz. 426-5787. scal.org. Free.

 

Green Fix

โ€˜Plant Lifeโ€™

You have tons of choices for arts viewing on First Friday, and the Art Cave is a particularly special one. A sweet nurturing arts incubator, the Art Cave was born out of a love of the arts and teaching art a few years ago. The latest exhibit, โ€œPlant Life,โ€ showcases plant-inspired art by 14 mostly local artists, including Art Cave co-founders Leigh Erickson and Danielle Peters. There are a few international artists featured, too. Meander over to its neighboring venues, the R. Blitzer Gallery, Idea Fab Labs, and Bluestone Imports, and youโ€™ll see that thereโ€™s something for everyone.

INFO: 5-8 p.m. Friday, June 1. The Art Cave in the Old Wrigley Building. 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz. facebook.com/theartcavesc. Free.

 

Sunday 6/3

Open Streets Watsonville

Summer is here, which means extra traffic and road rage. Wouldnโ€™t it be nice if, just for a moment, there were no cars and no traffic? Open Streets Watsonville is a little break from summer traffic and a chance for families to play safely in the street. For one day, the intersection of Brennan and Union streets will be closed to all cars, creating a โ€œpop-up parkโ€ for folks to bike, walk, play, skate, and dance in the street.

INFO: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Brennan and Union streets between Callaghan Park and the City Plaza. 425-0667. scopenstreets.org/watsonville. Free. Photo: Bill Bishoff.

 

Saturday 6/2 and Sunday 6/3

Redwood Mountain Faire

With more than 20 bands across two stages, arts and crafts and unlimited locally made food, beer, and wine, the countyโ€™s favorite Mountain Faire is back for its ninth year this weekend. Plopped in a grassy meadow among the oak trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Redwood Mountain Faire offers an idyllic experience beyond compare. This yearโ€™s lineup includes locals the Coffis Brothers and Mountain Men, San Franciscoโ€™s nine-piece tour-de-force: Midtown Social, and the Hackensaw Boys from Charlottesville. Proceeds benefit nearly 20 local organizations. Donโ€™t forget a lawn chair and blanket for some well-deserved relaxation to kick off your summer, but please leave your furry friends and coolers at home.

INFO: 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. The Meadow at Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. redwoodmountainfaire.com. $25-$45. Kids 12 and under free, $5 parking.

 

Sunday 6/3

Santa Cruz Pride

In this queer visibility action, members of our Santa Cruz communityโ€”organizations, allies, supportive groups, churches, candidates, ensembles, performers, parents, and childrenโ€”will join together in pride, activism, enthusiasm and love. Pride kicks off with a parade beginning at Pacific Avenue and Church Street, and follows with a festival between Cathcart, Cedar, and Lincoln streets (where the Wednesday Farmers Market is). The festival features a stage and live performances from LGBTQ+ musicians, spoken word artists and more. All ages are welcome.

INFO: Parade begins at 11 a.m., festival at noon. Pacific Avenue and Church streets, Santa Cruz. santacruzpride.org. Free.

 

Friday 6/1-Sunday 6/3

โ€˜The Realistic Jonesesโ€™

If you thought one Jones was enough, think again. In the spirit of neighborly love, Actorsโ€™ Theatre kicks off its season with Broadwayโ€™s hit comedy The Realistic Joneses with four whole Joneses, each as weird and unique as the next. The show features lots of local talent, laughs and a nightmarish situation in which a couple shares more than just a coincidental last name with their neighbors.

INFO: Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. Center Stage Theater. 1001 Center St., Santa Cruz. sccat.org. $26 general, $23 students and seniors.

Local Talk for the Week of May 30, 2018

“Pippi Longstocking, because sheโ€™s very fun-loving, she has long pigtails and sheโ€™s very cute.  ”

Kathy Haliburton

Capitola
Wellness Specialist

“I would want to be Anne of Green Gables, because she is a ferocious personality with a huge imagination.  ”

Stephanie LaBaw

Santa Cruz
Teacher

“Arya Stark from Game of Thrones. She grew up learning to be a badass, and we got to watch the whole process. Sheโ€™s a rock star.  ”

Asha

Santa Cruz
UCSC Admissions

“Trevor Noah. He has a witty way of talking about a dark past in his book Born a Crime, and I learned more about apartheid while laughing.  ”

Allison Cruz

Santa Cruz
Attorney

“Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes, because I used to draw them as a child and I thought he was a dark devious person, but he was still a kid, so thatโ€™s how I feel I am inside.  ”

Jason Cruz

Santa Cruz
Brand Manager

Point Marketโ€™s Cali Burrito On Pointe

What doesnโ€™t the Point Market have, I ask myself, scanning the shelves and other surfaces brimming with goods. My field of vision is filled with everything from sunscreen, toiletries and Sex Wax to Marianneโ€™s ice cream, bottles of local wine and countless snacks. Thereโ€™s also all of the candy I loved as a kid, the kombuchas and jun tonics I love as an adult andโ€”no jokeโ€”at least 50 varieties of hot sauce. Thereโ€™s an espresso machine and gluten-free cookies andโ€”well, you get the picture.

But Iโ€™m here at this charming little market on East Cliff Drive, in the heart of the Pleasure Point neighborhood, for the burritos. Specifically, the Cali burrito, which I can never resist despite a long list of other burrito options sharing menu space with breakfast, tacos, burgers, sandwiches, poutine, quesadillas and smoothiesโ€”all extremely tempting.

But wrapped within the Cali burritoโ€™s warm tortilla are zesty seasoned french fries, carne asada, beans, rice, creamy avocado, sour cream and melty cheese. Itโ€™s everything my California heart wants in a burrito, our unofficial state food. The friendly cashier behind the counter rattles off a list of salsa options that blur together, but gives me an insiderโ€™s tip: โ€œYou gotta get the spicy green.โ€ I do, and I do not regret it.

One of the things I appreciate about the burritos at the Point is that I can choose a smaller burrito size. Yes, the large is only one dollar more and substantially more food, but I have moved on from the stage of my life where calories mean nothing. I want the joy of a burrito without the waste or reheating. A day-old burrito can simply not be revived, and I would rather not carry around a food baby that feels like a literal baby. For me, the small burrito is just enough.

The joys of the Point Market are many, and theyโ€™re spreading to Live Oak. Sister store Black Point Market on the corner of 14th Avenue and East Cliff Drive will offer similar products with a local vibe, with hopes to open in June.

 

Holy Wow Wow

Those who love the cult favorite sandwich will be happy to know that the new owners of Dayโ€™s Market reached out to say that the Tuna Wow Wow will live on, and Day himself has taught them its secret ways.

Rob Brezsny’s Astrology May 30-June 5

Free Will Astrology for the week of May 30, 2018

ARIES (March 21-April 19): A critic described Leonardo da Vinciโ€™s painting the Mona Lisa as โ€œthe most visited, most written about, most sung about, most parodied work of art in the world.โ€ It hasnโ€™t been sold recently, but is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Today itโ€™s kept in the world-renowned Louvre museum in Paris, where itโ€™s viewed by millions of art-lovers. But for years after its creatorโ€™s death, it enjoyed little fanfare while hanging in the bathroom of the French King Francois. Iโ€™d love to see a similar evolution in your own efforts, Aries: a rise from humble placement and modest appreciation to a more interesting fate and greater approval. The astrological omens suggest that you have more power than usual to make this happen in the coming weeks and months.

 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): These days, many films use CGI, computer generated imagery. The technology is sophisticated and efficient. But in the early days of its use, producing such realistic fantasies was painstaking and time-intensive. For example, Steven Spielbergโ€™s 1993 film Jurassic Park featured four minutes of CGI that required a year to create. I hope that in the coming weeks, you will summon equivalent levels of old-school tenacity and persistence and attention to detail as you devote yourself to a valuable task that you love. Your passion needs an infusion of discipline. Donโ€™t be shy about grunting.

 

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): On February 17, 1869, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleyev had an appointment with a local cheese-making company to provide his expert consultation. But he never made it. A blast of inspiration overtook him soon after he awoke, and he stayed home to tend to the blessed intrusion. He spent that day as well as the next two perfecting his vision of the periodic table of the elements, which he had researched and thought about for a long time. Science was forever transformed by Mendeleyevโ€™s breakthrough. I doubt your epiphanies in the coming weeks will have a similar power to remake the whole world, Gemini. But they could very well remake your world. When they arrive, honor them. Feed them. Give them enough room to show you everything theyโ€™ve got.

 

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ninety-five percent of your fears have little or no objective validity. Some are delusions generated by the neurotic parts of your imagination. Others are delusions youโ€™ve absorbed from the neurotic spew of other peopleโ€™s imaginations. What Iโ€™ve just told you is both bad news and good news. On the one hand, itโ€™s a damn shame you feel so much irrational and unfounded anxiety. On the other hand, hearing my assertion that so much of it is irrational and unfounded might mobilize you to free yourself from its grip. Iโ€™m pleased to inform you that the coming weeks will be an excellent time to wage a campaign to do just that. June can and should be Fighting for Your Freedom from Fear Month.

 

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): During the next four weeks, Iโ€™ll celebrate if you search for and locate experiences that will heal the part of your heart thatโ€™s still a bit broken. My sleep at night will be extra deep and my dreams extra sweet if I know youโ€™re drumming up practical support for your feisty ideals. Iโ€™ll literally jump for joy if you hunt down new teachings that will ultimately ensure you start making a daring dream come true in 2019. And my soul will soar if you gravitate toward the mind-expanding kind of hedonism rather than the mind-shrinking variety.

 

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Everyone has a unique fate thatโ€™s interesting enough to write a book about. Each of us has at least one epic story to tell that would make people cry and laugh and adjust their thoughts about the meaning of life. What would your saga be like? Think about whatโ€™s unfolding right now, because I bet that would be a ripe place to start your meditations. The core themes of your destiny are currently on vivid display, with new plot twists taking your drama in novel directions. Want to get started? Compose the first two sentences of your memoir.

 

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): โ€œDear Oracle: I find myself in the weird position of trying to decide between doing the good thing and doing the right thing. If I opt to emphasize sympathy and kindness, I may look like an eager-to-please wimp with shaky principles. But if I push hard for justice and truth, I may seem rude and insensitive. Why is it so challenging to have integrity? – Vexed Libra.โ€ Dear Libra: My advice is to avoid the all-or-nothing approach. Be willing to be half-good and half-right. Sometimes the highest forms of integrity require you to accept imperfect solutions.

 

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You have waited long enough to retaliate against your adversaries. Itโ€™s high time to stop simmering with frustration and resentment. Take direct action! I suggest you arrange to have a box of elephant poop shipped to their addresses. You can order it here: tinyurl.com/ElephantManure. JUST KIDDING! I misled you with the preceding statements. It would in fact be a mistake for you to express such vulgar revenge. Hereโ€™s the truth: Now is an excellent time to seek retribution against those who have opposed you, but the best ways to do that would be by proving them wrong, surpassing their accomplishments, and totally forgiving them.

 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Marketing experts say that motivating a person to say yes to a big question is more likely if you first build momentum by asking them smaller questions to which itโ€™s easy to say yes. I encourage you to adopt this slant for your own purposes in the coming weeks. Itโ€™s prime time to extend invitations and make requests that youโ€™ve been waiting for the right moment to risk. People whom you need on your side will, I suspect, be more receptive than usualโ€”and with good reasonsโ€”but you may still have to be smoothly strategic in your approach.

 

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I bet youโ€™ll be offered at least one valuable gift, and possibly more. But Iโ€™m concerned that you may not recognize them for their true nature. So Iโ€™ve created an exercise to enhance your ability to identify and claim these gifts-in-disguise. Please ruminate on the following concepts: 1. a pain that can heal; 2. a shadow that illuminates; 3. an unknown or anonymous ally; 4. a secret that nurtures intimacy; 5. a power akin to underground lightning; 6. an invigorating boost disguised as tough love.

 

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When I was a kid attending elementary schools in the American Midwest, recess was a core part of my educational experience. For 45 minutes each day, we were excused from our studies so we could indulge in free-form playโ€”outdoors, if the weather was nice, or else in the gymnasium. But in recent years, schools in the U.S. have shrunk the time allotted for recess. Many schools have eliminated it altogether. Donโ€™t they understand this is harmful to the social, emotional, and physical health of their students? In any case, Aquarius, I hope you move in the opposite direction during the coming weeks. You need more than your usual quota of time away from the grind. More fun and games, please! More messing around and merriment! More recess!

 

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): For many years, actor Mel Blanc provided the voice for Bugs Bunny, a cartoon character who regularly chowed down on raw carrots. But Blanc himself did not like raw carrots. In a related matter, actor John Wayne, who pretended to be a cowboy and horseman in many movies, did not like horses. And according to his leading ladies, charismatic macho film hunk Harrison Ford is not even close to being an expert kisser. What about you, Pisces? Is your public image in alignment with your true self? If there are discrepancies, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to make corrections.

 

Homework: Each of us has a secret ignorance. Can you guess what yours is? What could you do about it? Freewillastrology.com.

Bottle Jack Winery Maintains Momentum, Plus Bargettoโ€™s La Vita Release

John Ritchey, bottle jack winery
John Ritchey of Bottle Jack Winery is winning top honors for his big reds

From Judge to Governor, a Look at Primary Races Affecting Santa Cruz County

When Syda Cogliati talks about her experience, she sounds as proud of her educational background as she does her legal credentials. Cogliatiโ€”a judge pro tem whoโ€™s practiced law for the past 23 years, and is also a professor at the Monterey College of Lawโ€”is running for Santa Cruz County Superior Court judge. Cogliati volunteers with fifth graders in the Elementary Law...

Music Picks May 30-June 5

Live music highlights for the week of May 30, 2018.

Giveaway: GARY MEEK QUINTET

Win tickets to Gary Meek Quintet at Kuumbwa Jazz on Thursday June 21.

Love Your Local Band: LAUREN WAHL & SIMPLY PUT

LAUREN WAHL & SIMPLY PUT
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 31. Michaelโ€™s on Main, 2591 S. Main St., Soquel. $7/adv, $10/door. 479-9777.

Opinion May 30, 2018

Plus letters to the Editor

5 Things to Do in Santa Cruz the Week of May 30-June 5

Event highlights for the week of Ma 30, 2018.

Local Talk for the Week of May 30, 2018

“Pippi Longstocking, because sheโ€™s very fun-loving, she has long pigtails and sheโ€™s very cute.  ” Kathy Haliburton Capitola Wellness Specialist “I would want to be Anne of Green Gables, because she is a ferocious personality with a huge imagination.  ” Stephanie LaBaw Santa Cruz Teacher ...

Point Marketโ€™s Cali Burrito On Pointe

Point Market
A heavenly, harty combination that includes seasoned French fries

Rob Brezsny’s Astrology May 30-June 5

Astrology, Horoscope, Stars, Zodiac Signs
Free Will Astrology for the week of May 30, 2018
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