Enter for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate for Om Gallery in downtown Santa Cruz.
Om Gallery is an eclectic, fun shop prioritizing handmade & fair-trade items from California and around the world. As a favorite Santa Cruz destination for locals & tourists alike, Om Gallery is not just a typical store; it is an experience. Explore our selection to find lighting solutions, jewelry, feng shui gifts, garden décor, and so much more. Create your Om today with Om Gallery online or at 1201 Pacific Ave in downtown Santa Cruz.
Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Thursday, June 25, 2026. Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit. Must be 18+ to win.
Published in cooperation between Mr. Gamble and Good Times
When was the last time you clicked “Agree” without a second thought? For most people within the last month, and maybe for some readers, within the last 24 hours!
The reality is that the fine print and T&Cs can significantly affect how you experience online entertainment platforms. However, ignoring it, which most of us do, can lead to a poor experience or even unfair consequences. Not good!
Understanding what’s buried in these boring, lengthy documents is crucial for anyone using the services. Below, we’ll explain why these terms are buried and what you should be looking out for.
What Is the Fine Print?
Let’s begin from the top with a definition. The “fine print” refers to the detailed terms and conditions, and sometimes the privacy policy, that govern how you should use the website or online platform. This goes for online forums in and outside of entertainment.
While these documents may feel like legal jargon that you can scroll past, they actually outline your rights and obligations as a user. This is extremely important. Ignoring them can lead to unexpected consequences, and in entertainment, this can go from forfeiting game winnings to completely losing access to your account. So, if you want to get free spins just by registering your card or just try out some new games, schedule a few minutes to scan and read these terms.
Alina Anisimova, Online Banking Expert at Mr. Gamble, explained that “We often see so many disappointed players wondering why they could not withdraw their winnings, and unfortunately, the answer was there from the beginning in the bonus terms and conditions. That’s why we always urge readers to study the terms, or at least, know the important buzz words to look for before redeeming any offers.”
Below, we’ve added the 6 terms online entertainment experts recommend looking for before signing up for any service.
1. Wagering Requirements
Online casinos and betting sites, or anywhere else you can potentially win money, often include wagering requirements. These tell you how many times you must play through a bonus or deposit before being able to withdraw any earned winnings.
Generally speaking, the more lucrative the offer, the higher the wagering requirements.Casinos offering 60 free spins without depositing will have more difficult wagering than a 20 free spins offer that requires a $10 bonus.
Minimum Deposits
Another T&C to look for is the minimum deposit. Many game sites and platforms set a minimum deposit you need to meet to get involved. While it may seem harmless, failing to meet this deposit can prevent you from claiming bonuses or getting the full experience.
In rare cases, there are no deposit offers that let you play without spending. But you need to know which casino gives free spins no deposit before you take advantage of these.
Winnings Caps
Some services limit how much you can win from promotions or bonuses. Even if luck is on your side, the platform may cap your payout, leaving you with less than expected.
Expiration Dates
Bonuses, free spins, account offers, or certain promotional credits may come with expiration dates. Once this passes, you’re out of the loop! Look for these time limits before you play.
Withdrawal Restrictions
T&Cs for online entertainment offers also dictate how and when you can withdraw funds. Even if you win them fair and square, you might be impacted by these.
Restrictions might include limits on the number of withdrawals per month or requiring specific KYC documentation before cashing out. That’s why it’s important to always choose fair offers, like legit 50 free spins no deposit bonuses for the UK.
Account Termination Clauses
Lastly, look for the word termination. Platforms and providers reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts for plenty of reasons. These usually include suspected fraud or violating the rules.
Why Does the Online Entertainment Industry Bury Its Terms?
If the rules are so important, why do platforms and casinos make them so difficult to understand? The unfortunate truth is that the online entertainment industry benefits from users not reading the fine print. Yes, they almost don’t want you to read it.
By burying complex terms in long documents, platforms reduce disputes and maintain the power to limit payouts or change rules without explicit consent. It also makes it easy to enforce restrictions. So, it’s generally a strategic move to protect the company while keeping users engaged, but in line.
That’s why it’s critical to really research potential entertainment sites, for example which sites offer 15 free spins no deposit, as if you choose any old operator, they might not have your best interest in mind.
The Risks of Ignoring Terms
Even if they’re seemingly unfair, disregarding terms can lead to serious consequences as a user. Here’s a quick overview of what may happen if you skip the T&Cs.
Term
Risk
Bonus terms
If ignored, your winnings will be forfeit
Withdrawal terms
Winnings withheld or not paid out
General site terms
Account suspended due to accidentally breaking rules
Takeaway
The fine print in online entertainment is more than a formality designed to take your time, so next time, try not to hit “Accept” without a second thought. Pay attention to these terms to ensure that your time and money are protected!
There have been a lot of milestones in Santa Cruz lately. Last year both Streetlight Records and Good Times celebrated their 50th anniversaries. Last week I wrote about the 15th anniversary of the Sin Sisters Burlesque and Drag show. Now, we commemorate another local landmark that many Santa Cruzans might not even realize the importance of.
On Tuesday, April 21, the Blue Lagoonies Comedy troupe celebrates 20 years of bringing laughter to the community. This makes it the longest-running, free, weekly comedy show in the entire state of California, and possibly the entire West Coast.
“I’ve looked and I can’t find one that’s going longer,” says host Paulie Escobedo, who’s been hosting the Blue Lagoonies since 2024.
But the emphasis is on free. Technically, the longest-running, weekly, comedy show in California is Monday Potluck at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, but there’s a cover charge.
The show’s longevity has only been possible through several key factors that make it unlike any other comedy room.
“To be here in 2026 credit has to be given to Blue Lagoon owner Fred Friedman,” says comedy guru DNA. Over the past 20 years, he was the Lagoonies’ longest-running host for over a decade. “Because rarely do you have an owner of a venue who lets you do something for so long. And to all the other comedians who have helped prop it up over the years.”
Ariel Waller Photo: Caleb Danko.
Ask any of the comedians who have graced the stage “held together by stickers and bad choices”–as DNA liked to say at shows–and one of the first things they’ll say is the vibes. Over the years different musicians have graced the stage to open the show, including full jazz bands and a vaudeville piano accompaniment. Currently, bassist Lee DeFalco and drummer Sam Morelli have been the show’s soundtrack.
“That room consistently has the best crowds in Santa Cruz,” says longtime stand-up, B.J. Rankin.
He explains the room is physically bigger than most in the Bay Area, so it has a larger capacity. Rankin also believes the diversity of the crowds is another strength. On any given week there will be students, locals and tourists of any age and nationality looking to forget about their troubles with a couple of laughs.
Ariel Waller Photo: Caleb Danko.
“Every week we routinely have comics come all the way from San Francisco because Santa Cruz has such great audiences,” explains Escobedo who also drives weekly from Morgan Hill.
“It’s hard to replicate, there really aren’t many rooms that have the same kind of energy,” Rankin says. “It’s also a great place to try out new material. The Blue clientele is down for whatever.”
Which makes it great for new stand-up comedians trying to get their five minutes of stage time, like Ariel Waller. She first became aware of the Blue Lagoonies three years ago as an audience member. One year later this dental hygienist by day (“I love putting smiles on people’s faces,” she laughs) began working on her routine at the Shanty Shack. Last September, she was asked by Escobedo to join the Blue Lagoonies stage.
“When I attended my first Blue Lagoon show, I knew one of the comedians and based on the camaraderie, you just felt like they were always supportive of one another,” she says. “It’s been really nice being a part of this community and the Blue Lagoonies who have welcomed me.”
For Escobedo, it’s about giving back what he was given.
“I got my start there,” he says. “So I like to give comics in the area, who I see hitting open mics and putting in time, the opportunity to come and try the Blue Lagoon.”
LONG AND FUNNYIt seems like just yesterday…blink, blink. Pictured left to right: Paulie Escobedo, Colin Thiel, BJ Rankin, Michael Booth. PHOTO: Paulie Escobedo;
It’s the community that’s the soul of the Blue Lagoonies. They look out for one another and help each other along the way. They meet up and work out jokes with one another and attend their friends’ other comedy shows.. Because of this support, there have been multiple people who’ve gone on to make a name for themselves in the larger comedy community like Chad Opitz, Ryan Goodcase, Butch Escobar, and Emily Catalano. In 2019 Catalano made a national name for herself when she appeared on Conan (of the O’Brien variety) and her 2025 indie special “Unspecial” has almost a million views on YouTube with 42,000 people subscribing to her channel.
“I always told comedians, ‘If you do well at the Blue Lagoon, you can do well anywhere,’” says DNA. “The Blue was my finishing school for comedy. We didn’t make any money, but it gave me my education.”
INFO: Blue Lagoonies 20th Anniversary Show, Tues. 4/21. 7:45pm. Blue Lagoon, 923 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. Free. 423-7117.
Singer/songwriter Emmylou Harris is lauded not only for selling 15 million records and winning 14 Grammy awards but also for her decades of good-deeds activism. Harris is coming to the Santa Cruz Civic on Saturday, April 18th promoting the reissue of her 1998 live album, Spyboy.
Harris was born in Alabama, but spent much of her youth traveling with her military family, until they landed in Virginia. Harris would listen to radio station WAMU and teach herself songs on the guitar.
Harris’ ability to continually tune into the central zeitgeist of every decade has been a fierce combination of talent, perseverance, luck and having the right patron saint to guide her. For Harris it came in the form of singer/activist Joan Baez.
“I first picked up the guitar because of Joan Baez and her beautiful voice,” says Harris from her home in Nashville. “And then Dylan and the protest songs. The songs that were shining a light on the civil rights movement. It sort of gave me my life in music. I realized what I was supposed to do, and fortunately, there were people that came into my life that made that possible.”
Artists do not need to continually evolve their public personas to attract new followers and remain algorithmically popular. True artists evolve because they find new muses, hear the whispers of guiding voices, and then the public follows. Back in 1970, Harris released her first album, Gliding Bird, a collection of songs that casually revealed her calling card to the world. Within five years, Harris would receive a much broader reception with her muse-infused second effort, Pieces of the Sky.
This particular muse revealed itself in Harris’ relationship with Gram Parsons, who had left the Byrds and was looking for someone to sing harmony with. This cosmic duo, seemingly destined to meet, moved their collective needles smack dab into the middle of a revolution within the (what had become) staid country music world. They were the new breed of outlaws.
The 1979 No Nukes concerts (and later Farm Aid) were massive awareness raising events in which Harris was instrumental. Her early years of merging singing with social activism were in fruition and garnering headlines around the globe.
Almost fifty years later, Harris is still combining performance with action. “As far as my focus and my energy, it is very localized,” Harris says. While Harris is still very involved in supporting organizations that combat the evils of corporate farming, “realize that by harming animals and killing them and raising them the way we do, we’re actually harming ourselves,” her main emphasis is on dogs.
Beginning in 2004, Bonaparte’s Retreat, which focuses on dogs left behind in shelters, is named for one of Harris’s road dogs of 10 years. “Once you have the experience of having a dog on the road with you, you don’t realize how lonely you’ve been without one.”
Bonaparte’s Retreat takes in dogs nobody else wants. “Especially older dogs and dogs with pretty big issues that require expensive surgeries and we take care of that, then they’re able to be adopted,” says Harris
Harris is at the place in her career where even if she went full-time into caring for her rescued dogs, her legacy is widespread. Her 1987 Trio album with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt went platinum. Rock history books credit Harris as a pioneer in the country rock movement starting in the 1970’s and throughout the 1980’s. A large swath of musicians credit her inspiration for their careers (just as she credited Joan Baez) including: Miranda Lambert, Trisha Yearwood, LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, and even bands like Wilco.
It was in 1995 that Harris reestablished her place on the charts with her Grammy-winning Wrecking Ball. It was a plateau achieved, involving a look back and a look forward. This current tour features songs from her vast catalogue
Emmylou Harris will be at The Santa Cruz Civic Center, 307 Church Street at 8pm Tickets are $73 and available at santacruztickets.com
One thing about our community I treasure: people here want to put us on the national cultural map and week after week our cover stories feature really special talents getting worldwide recognition.
So, we have to celebrate the ambitious creators of a new festival called The Ripple Effect Santa Cruz Arts Festival, or as writer Christina Waters suggests, let’s just call it Ripple Effect.
It’s an exciting project, which for 10 days will offer art, music, dance, poetry, stage shows, the works. And, as I find myself repeating week after week, we have more culture than cities 10 times our size or bigger, which is one of the top reasons we choose to live here. Right? It’s not all redwood and surfing, although that would be enough.
But CULTURE, all caps, is COOL and makes us smarter every day. Christina’s story describes its birth from two visionaries and the people who have joined in to spawn something with huge potential that should draw people from all over the region and the world.
We’ve seen it before. Look at South by Southwest in Austin and the people it’s brought in; consider Burning Man, which started as a small event on a San Francisco beach and is now a huge, huge yearly desert community. And our own Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, which attracts followers from all over the world.
They show just how much potential the arts have and how much our communities appreciate splendid innovation. This is your chance to stake out your claim to be part of the first year and to watch the ripples spread outward as it grows. Congratulations and thanks to the minds throwing the stone in the not-so-still water.
Yeah, we think of April 20 as a fun day celebrating weed, which there is some of that to do. It’s the last day of the parody show ‘Reefer Madness” at the Santa Cruz Vets Hall, and the last day is supposed to be a special show stopper.
BUT, there’s a very serious event that day too, which we cover in the news section. The authors of a book about peace, one Palestinian and one Israeli, are giving a talk that should be of interest to everyone. Its location has been moved twice, settling now at Temple Beth-El synagogue in Aptos. It’s sponsored by Bookshop Santa Cruz and should be as interesting as it is important.
We’ve got other fun stuff, some of it online at goodtimes.sc, such as a concert by Emmylou Harris. That’s big. A show by Throwing Muses and a bunch more in our calendar.
Thanks for reading and don’t forget to have fun!
Brad Kava | Editor
PHOTO CONTEST
TREASURE Rainbow ends at the Boardwalk April 12. Photograph by Joseph Gleo
GOOD IDEA
With festival season kicking off, fans are turning to last-minute resale tickets — but that’s exactly where scammers thrive.
A recent LegalShield study found that over a third of consumers have been scammed with 68% reporting they purchased a ticket the seller never actually had.Attorney Ben Farrow shares key warnings:
● Beware of last minute events that pressure fans into acting fast without thinking critically.
● AI and photo manipulation tools are now being used to duplicate QR codes, allowing a single ticket to be sold to hundreds of buyers.
● Deals that feel rushed or are unusually cheap are red flags, designed to push buyers to purchase before verifying legitimacy
● Always verify the seller and the ticket before completing a purchase.
GOOD WORK
The Santa Cruz County Celebration of Youth Poetry will celebrate teen poets with a variety of programs, including the launch of the Youth Poetry Anthology, Seeds of Tomorrow. There will be poetry films made by students at the Diamond Technology Institute of Watsonville from poems in the Anthology; and poetry readings.
The event will include an announcement of Santa Cruz County’s 2026-27 Youth Poet Laureate, who will serve a one-year term. The YPL will receive a $500 cash prize, and each finalist will receive $100 for poetry and community engagement.
It’s on Thursday, April 16 at 7pm, at Kuumbwa Jazz Center, as part of this year’s Ripple Festival. Finalists are: Bella Dowd, Delta High; Ash Raznick, Cypress High; Felice Rickwald, Branciforte Middle; Ror Spaugh, Aptos High; and Vicky Tinnell, Santa Cruz High.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The story of the future is peace and we manifest it within the book.” —Maoz Inon, from Israel, who speaks here Monday (see article inside, ‘Path to Peace.’)
CORRECTION
The TRE link in last week’s Wellness column was incorrect. The website is TREcalifornia.com
Regarding the recent racial incident caused by Trustee Steve Trujillo’s insensitive actions against African Americans in the Board meetings of Cabrillo College, I think that he did not pay enough attention to the negative impacts caused by his actions, while he tried to defend his actions by saying that he did not have any harmful intentions. I am saying this as a person who took training about racial issues. Cabrillo College is a public community educational institution. I do not know what action the Board might have taken in this case, but I believe that he is required to pay deep attention to the negative impacts caused by his insensitive actions as an elected official, a Trustee, who has represented Trustee Area 7.
Takashi Mizuno | Watsonville
DON’T GIVE UP ON BESS
The battery facility proposed for Minto Road has been delayed. That’s a problem because it needs to be online as soon as possible if we are to stop burning fossil fuels. The delay is caused by resistance to the facility by some in the community.
This resistance hurts my heart because a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) plays a vital role in fighting global warming. We must develop wind and solar energy. But the wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine.
We need batteries to store that energy. We experienced climate warming in the third week of March when temperatures neared 100 degrees. It’s even worse for places like Africa where there are multiple regions stricken with drought and other places hit with catastrophic flooding.
A BESS facility must be regulated, but those regulations already exist. California Senate Bill 283 calls for the highest safety standards for fire and other dangers. It was authored by our own Senator John Laird and signed into law.
These regulations were prompted by the Moss Landing BESS fire. There were several serious design flaws in that facility. In the first place, the batteries were all housed in one building. Once a fire started, it could easily spread to the whole place.
The BESS proposed for Minto Road will be made up of several buildings. At Moss Landing, the batteries were stacked on top of each other. At Minto Road they will be insulated from each other. At Moss Landing, the fire protection system was inadequate. At Minto Road there will be a robust response to fires.
The danger of climate change is greater than the danger of a battery facility. We have already experienced the flood of the winter of 2022-2023 when the Pajaro River broke its levee and flooded the town of Pajaro and nearby fields. We need a battery facility to prevent a worse weather disaster.
Emelyn Buskirk | Watsonville
ONLINE COMMENTS
YOUR VOTE COUNTS
Your editor’s note about the Sphere really resonated with me. Santa Cruz has always been ahead of the curve and this story is no different.
Silva Injury Law is a personal injury firm with a location right here in Santa Cruz and they just received their first-ever Webby nomination in Scripted Entertainment.Out of 13,000+ entries from over 70 countries, they’re now competing in the same category as Jimmy Kimmel and Keke Palmer at the 30th Annual Webby Awards.
They didn’t wait for an opportunity to find them. Instead, they launched Silva Studios, a full cinematic production arm, and built something entirely their own: 36 million views. 296,000 subscribers. 125% year-over-year revenue growth. This is a story of a small-town attorney who stopped marketing like a law firm and started thinking like a media company.
Here’s where Santa Cruz comes in: the People’s Voice Award is decided by public vote, open through April 16. If Santa Cruz rallies, a local firm could actually win this thing. Voting link:wbby.co/57602N
Spring arrives early in Santa Cruz. By the time April rolls around, the farmers markets begin to shift, tables once filled with winter squash and root vegetables now glisten with strawberries, tender greens, asparagus, and fragrant herbs. After months of heavier comfort foods, we’re ready to reach for something lighter, brighter, fresher.
That seasonal craving may be more than just a change in taste. It may also be a quiet nudge toward better mental health.
A growing body of research in nutritional psychiatry suggests that what we eat can influence how we feel, shaping mood, stress levels, and even symptoms of depression. And one of the eating patterns most consistently linked to emotional well-being looks remarkably familiar to anyone strolling through a Santa Cruz farmers market in spring: the Mediterranean diet.
The diet–mood connection
Mental health is complex. Sleep, stress, relationships, genetics, and life circumstances all play a role. But researchers are increasingly recognizing that diet belongs in the conversation too.
Studies have found that diets high in ultra-processed foods, packaged snacks, refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, are associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety. In contrast, diets rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods are linked to better emotional health.
Vegetables and fruits
Whole grains
Beans and legumes
Olive oil as a primary fat
Nuts and seeds
Fish and seafood
Moderate dairy
Minimal processed foods
These are the foods that comprise the Mediterranean Diet. But if it sounds like I’m describing the food categories available at our local farmers’ markets, you’re not far off. In many or most parts of the world, eating this way would be expensive if not impossible. But Northern California farmers produce every single one of these food categories.
In fact, Salinas Valley, nicknamed America’s Salad Bowl, produces a majority of the U.S. supply of summer lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and various leafy greens.
Why these foods support the brain
The connection between Mediterranean-style eating and mental health tracks back to biology.
Anti-inflammatory effects
Chronic inflammation has been linked to depression and other mental health conditions. Foods like olive oil, leafy greens, berries, nuts, and fatty fish contain compounds that help calm inflammation in both the body and brain.
The gut–brain axis
Your digestive system is home to trillions of microbes that influence mood, stress response, and even neurotransmitter production. Fiber-rich foods, like beans, vegetables, and whole grains, feed beneficial gut bacteria, supporting a healthier microbiome.
Key brain nutrients
Mediterranean foods provide essential nutrients that support brain function, including:
Omega-3 fatty acids (from fish)
Magnesium (from leafy greens and nuts)
B vitamins (from legumes and whole grains)
Antioxidants (from fruits and vegetables)
Together, these nutrients help regulate mood and protect the brain from stress.
Local spring produce that fits the pattern
Sweet strawberries from Watsonville and Pajaro Valley
Crisp asparagus, one of the first vegetables of the season
Artichokes, a true California Mediterranean staple
Fava beans and English peas
Peppery arugula, tender spinach, and baby lettuces
Fresh herbs like parsley, mint, and dill
These foods lend themselves to simple, satisfying meals: grilled fish with lemony asparagus, a fava bean and herb salad, or organic strawberries topped with locally-made yogurt and a handful of walnuts.
Good food, good mood
Mental health challenges affect people everywhere, and there’s no single solution. But diet, something we engage with every day, may be one of the most accessible and empowering places to begin.
Beyond the food on our plates, the way we eat matters as well. Slowing down, paying attention to the food we’re eating, and meals shared with family and friends are also powerful mood boosters. The right foods, regular mealtimes and slow mindful eating help us to regulate our physiology in subtle but meaningful ways.
The Mediterranean diet reminds us that nourishment is about more than nutrients. It’s about mindfulness, intention, and connection to the land, to our food, and to each other.
Elizabeth Borelli is a Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle expert, coach and teacher. Find free resources and upcoming events at ElizabethBorelli.com
Anthropologist and author Clifford Geertz loved to use “thick description.” He wrote detailed reports that captured not just the surface level of what happened but the deeper levels of meaning. Here’s an example of thin description: “He winked.” Thick description: “He quickly closed and opened his right eyelid in a culturally specific gesture of playfully conspiratorial communication.” In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to enjoy the sumptuous pleasures of thick description. Unleash your wild curiosity as you dig down into the rich, complex truths about everything. Gleefully explore how the cultural, personal, and historical contexts give each moment its specific, nuanced significance. (PS: This approach will enhance your options for responding.)
TAURUS April 20-May 20
New beginnings and final chapters will be overlapping in the coming weeks, and they’ll push you in the direction of robust growth. It won’t always be obvious which is which, though, so you’ll need to sharpen your discernment to read the signs. Here are two contemplations to steer you: 1. Which long-running sagas in your life have finally played themselves out? 2. Which struggling, half-forgotten dreams are yearning to rise again and blossom as if they were brand new? Once you’ve listened deeply enough to answer those questions, move boldly: Feed and protect whatever is being born, and actively assist in the graceful dismantling of whatever is ready to end.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
One of your go-to tools or assets is still functioning, but now is exactly the time to repair or refurbish it—before it breaks. Furthermore: A power outage of sorts may be looming unless you move to head off an impending overload. Wait, there’s even more! The monster in your closet is still deeply asleep, which is why now is the perfect moment to summon an exorcist or exterminator, before it stirs. Are you getting the picture, Gemini? The very fact that you’re reading this horoscope gives you all the advance warning you need to sidestep potential glitches and diversions.
CANCER June 21-July 22
According to my reading of the astrological omens, asking the BIG questions is highly advisable right now. Why? Because you are unusually likely to get really good answers to those BIG questions. Want a nudge to get started in this noble enterprise? Here are three recommended queries: 1. “What is the wild meaning of my precious life?” 2. “Who the #@$%&!* am I, anyway?” 3. “Where is this so-called ‘God’ I hear so much about?” Dear Cancerian, I will also urge you to formulate humorous, satirical BIG questions that inspire life to be playfully revelatory with you. Here are three: 1. “How can I fine-tune my friends and loved ones to perfection?” 2. “Are there shortcuts to getting absolutely everything I want?” 3. “How do I sign up for a life of nonstop pleasure, free from all discomfort?”
LEO July 23-Aug. 22
When people finally grasped just how radical Einstein’s theory of relativity was, a journalist asked him how he had arrived at such a breakthrough. Einstein said it was simple: He had utterly ignored supposedly fundamental truths. Dear Leo, please notice what that might imply for you in the coming weeks. Einstein didn’t dismiss a mere opinion or fashionable theory; he set aside theories so deeply accepted that everyone treated them as obviously factual. He didn’t waste energy fighting them, but simply proceeded as if they didn’t exist. Consider doing the same: Set aside at least one seemingly incontestable assumption and be alert for the new realities that then become possible.
VIRGO Aug. 23-Sept. 22
The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes, so astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours. It’s a challenge to maintain their circadian rhythms. They must be disciplined as they stick to a sleep cycle that human bodies are accustomed to. But there’s a wonderful trade-off: the rare privilege of witnessing the rapid cycling of total darkness and brilliant light, which provides a visceral sense of life’s deep cadences at work. Your routine may seem similarly unsettled these days, Virgo. Transitions are coming faster than feels natural. But I suspect this disruptive blessing is giving you access to patterns that aren’t intelligible when you’re moving more slowly. You’re beholding the way things change as well as the changes themselves. This is a valuable gift. The insights will be worth the disorientation.
LIBRA Sept. 23-Oct. 22
You Libras sometimes get accused of indecision, as if your careful weighing of possibilities were a weakness. But I see a different truth: You aspire to be fair-minded as you honor all the legitimate claims on your attention. So the problem isn’t your capacity for considering multiple sides of each story. Rather, I find fault with the culture you live in, which is obsessed with one-dimensional certainty. If I were your coach or therapist, I would give you permission to take your time and resist the rush to resolution. The most honest thing you can say may be, “I’m still deciding,” or “Both of these feel true.”
SCORPIO Oct. 23-Nov. 21
You’re not a flaming expert at turning tension into treasure, but you have modest skills at that art. And now I’m predicting you will grow these skills. Before you jump to conclusions, though, please know that I’m not implying you will be immersed in stressful melodrama. I’m suggesting you will handle differences of perspective with increasing aplomb and curiosity. Instead of treating conflict as a debilitating hassle, you’ll try to find value in it. Some debates may even feel stimulating and fun rather than tiring. To take maximum advantage, enjoy the controversies as exploratory missions rather than as showdowns you must win at all costs.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22-Dec. 21
I hope and predict that you will be wildly resourceful as you wisely experiment with love in the coming weeks. I hope and predict that you will research the art of tender, inspiring intimacy in new frontiers. Reinvent passion, you subtle intensity freak! Be a bold explorer who breaks the boring old rules! Dare to break open new varieties of sweetness and companionship that require you to innovate and improvise!
CAPRICORN Dec. 22-Jan. 19
If you were on a walk and spied a dime on the ground, would you bend down to grab it? Probably not. Would you feel differently about a quarter? Maybe you have decided that nothing under a dollar is worth your effort. But in the coming weeks, you will be wise to break such rules. Symbolically speaking, the act of stooping down to pick up a dime will set off a chain reaction that ends with you acquiring a hundred-dollar bill. By saying yes to small, unexpected blessings, you’ll position yourself to receive larger ones down the line.
AQUARIUS Jan. 20-Feb. 18
The coming weeks will be an excellent time to begin a building project on the scale of Egypt’s Great Pyramid or India’s Taj Mahal. You should at least initiate work toward some magnificent masterpiece or creation, Aquarius. According to my analysis, there’s a chance you could coax an armada of helpers to work on your behalf. And as you set out to accomplish your labor of love, I bless your quest.
PISCES Feb. 19-March 20
Artists who specialize in origami can create structures far stronger than the flat paper they’re folded from. The weakness of being made from thin, fragile material is overcome through strategic creasing. Engineers now use origami principles to design everything from solar panels to artificial blood vessels. Let’s extrapolate these facts into a lesson for you in the coming weeks, Pisces. We’ll assume that your flexibility is a strength, not a liability. You will wield your pliability to produce a high degree of structural integrity.
There’s a small swath of sand on the northeast side of Cannery Row that locals call Secret Beach. It’s part industrial, part paradise, easy to miss, hard to forget.
By night, its gentle tides provide the best white noise going for the hotel rooms above. By dawn it helps frame lush sunrises. By midmorning, it awaits a picnic, paddle or swim (wetsuit advised).
It also slips underneathMonterey Plaza Hotel & Spa (400 Cannery Row, Monterey), making for stunning looks down from several floors of balconies, perhaps paired with in-room local petrale sole with rock shrimp and Champagne saffron reduction, and a glass of the Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir selected and blended by MPHS Executive Chef Michael Rotondo and Sommelier Conrad Reddick.
All sorts of additional elements make a visit here memorable, some less secret than others, but they all emphasize the unreal setting.
The Michelin-noted food program might top the list, thanks to two sublime restaurants and Rotondo’s clear-eyed seafood stylings. Then again, the top-floor spa is a Top 25’er for Travel + Leisure, worldwide, with roof-deck hot pools, arguably the best gym view on the West Coast and bespoke massages and facials, the latter of which left me glowing like a shiny silver dollar.
Then there are on-campus live piano happy hours, eBike tour options and an old-school expression of hospitality that nods to the family-owned leadership at play.
Euphoric seems a little over the top to sum it up, but that was a real note that emerged from the spa treatment (how did Gaby do that?!), and felt applicable when our media group first met up.
We were standing on the deck of the Presidential Suite where Barack Obama stays, when a double rainbow showed up, arching across the post-rain spring sky, and guiding my eye down to the Pacific waters, where a sea otter splashes into view, vivid in the ROYGBIV beams.
I’ve explored this part of the world for decades, but never seen anything quite like that. It felt like being in on a fun little secret.
The Plaza Hotel’s strategic location means guests can hit Fisherman’s Wharf, The Lighthouse District’s many restaurants and Pacific Grove, among other spots, while leaving the car at valet. Monterey Bay Aquarium, for example, is about a 5-minute walk. It’s also where an atypical bit of uplift is happening Saturday, April 18, with an after-hours dance party—with a conservation cause—throughout the epic complex of marine exhibits. The event includes a chance to meet Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a copy of her What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures, bar-style trivia in the Kelp Forest, silent disco in the Open Sea, ++ passed bites, and fine wines from Pisoni Vineyards and Morgan Vineyards (18+, $135-$150, montereybayaquarium.org).
MEATY MORSELS
Downtown infill: Bay Area chain Palmetto Superfoods now slangs Brazilian açaí bowls, smoothies and fully customizable superfood options in the former Rock N Roll Donut Bar (1335 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz), palmettosuperfoods.com…Westside bye bye bummer: D20 Pizza (1520 Mission St., Santa Cruz) has ended its run doing Detroit pizza and board games…April 21, EcoFarm and the Rodale Institute host a hands-on, all-day intensive at JSM Organics (420 Hall Road, Royal Oaks) that brings together buyers, farmers, and food hubs for panel discussions, practical tips, and real-world case studies, all designed to make farming organic easier, with a farm tour, lunch, and a closing mixer, eco-farm.org…Nashville hot chicken chain Angry Chickz opened a new outpost last month (975 Main St., Suite 5, Watsonville) and is open 10am to midnight (!) daily, angrychickz.com…Shiny new La Bahia Hotel & Spa has locals-focused opportunities in the form of day passes and Sunrise Oceanview Rooftop Yoga 9am Saturday and Sunday on its open-air rooftop deck, labahiahotel.com…The Santa Cruz Vegan Chef Challenge is in full swing for the month of April, with a bunch of great restaurants participating—more at veganchefchallenge.org/SantaCruz…Plant-based eater Ariana Grande: “I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding.”
Co-owners of Scotts Valley locals’ favorite Thai Heart, Richie Yimsamrarn and Sarah Kitphongsri express deep appreciation and gratitude for the community’s support during adversity. Born in Thailand before moving to San Francisco at 13 and eventually settling in Santa Cruz, Richie says he met Sarah at a local restaurant on her birthday, “crashing her party” as he describes it.
After marrying in 2011, they were about to take their honeymoon when they saw what would become Thai Heart for sale, deciding to buy the restaurant instead of taking their vacation. Sarah runs the kitchen as head chef and Richie manages the front-of-house.
He describes their restaurant as a “small, cute little place” with traditional and classic Thai décor and cuisine. Preferred starters are chicken satay skewers, fresh-wrapped spring rolls, tom kha coconut soup and Thai-style hot and sour soup. Main dish favorites are a classic Pad Thai in sweet and sour tamarind sauce and Drunken Noodles with protein choice, basil and zucchini in a spicy oyster soy sauce.
The curries are another favorite, available in red, green and yellow and pineapple fried rice is a crowd-pleasing staple. Dessert is traditional mango sticky rice and beverages are Thai iced tea and coffee, as well as Thai beer and local wine.
What have you been going through?
RICHIE YIMSAMRARN: I’ve been dealing with a brain tumor, but luckily not cancer, so the community has really meant a lot to us and has helped us keep the business going. I am deeply thankful and touched by all this support, both emotionally and financially. The owner of the building, Benjamin Ow, along with his family have helped our restaurant and he has been the best landlord ever. The Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce also helped create a GoFundMe for me, so everyone has really helped me and the restaurant tremendously as we get through this hard time.
Where did Sarah learn to cook?
She began cooking from a very young age in Thailand with her mom and sister, and they also had a restaurant in Santa Cruz where she cooked. Our cuisine at Thai Heart is based on her family recipes from the central Thailand province of Autthaya, where she and her family are from. The recipes are very authentic, similar to what you would find in Thailand.
218 Mount Hermon Road Suite G, Scotts Valley, 831-438-1800
Published in cooperation between Mr. Gamble and Good Times
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