In 1979, I arrive in Santa Cruz. I meet a guy who knows about a studio for rent in Capitola Village. It’s a block from the ocean on San Jose Avenue and the landlord is charging $90 a month.Although it’s a one-room “granny unit,” it suits me fine with its brick patio outside the back of the duplex, shared by a techie who works at Seagate and a couple of hippies up front.
There was lots of hanging out. People sunning themselves on porches. Kickball in the street, chatting with the local shopkeepers: Aries Arts, with its eclectic mix of clothing and trinkets; the Chocolate Shop, with its mile-high cakes; the Craft Gallery (full size); Hot Feet; Oceania Imports; The Kite Store—and just up the street, Gayle’s Bakery (chocolate croissants).
Mornings my boyfriend and I would walk the block over to Mr. Toots Coffeehouse, where our friend (later our roommate) worked, and we’d tank up on café mochas or café mit schlags. We’d smoke a joint, sit by the beach. This was before Margaritaville, but there was always a bar scene. There was The Ark restaurant—that was a hangout—and a small bookstore upstairs. It seemed we had everything we needed.
Days I would go to the University, where I was studying creative writing, or work at the sandwich shop that paid me enough to make rent and buy whatever else I needed. Days off I’d take my beach chair and settle in reading a self-help book (Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain or I Deserve Love by Sondra Ray). My boyfriend and I bought wetsuits and we would swim out with the surfers and watch the waves and the goings-on onshore. Sometimes an otter would poke its head up, but mostly it was peaceful, floating in the safe harbor of the gentle waves off Capitola Beach.
I traded places with my neighbors and lived in the front duplex for a while. Their garden became mine and then I moved across the street above the piano store, where the proprietor, Joe Hanson, cast a fatherly figure and fed my cat. One neighbor opened a Cajun bakery on the first floor of the Victorian building she owned. People started doing cocaine (it was the ’80s). My boyfriend put a television in the ground, face up, and tourists and passers-by would watch what he was playing or watch themselves on TV.
I don’t remember traffic jams, cars backed up at stop signs, even on the weekends. I remember moonlit walks on the beach. When Pizza My Heart opened in 1981 slices were $1. We had a laundromat where I would bring my clothes (a two-block walk) and a movie theater that Audrey Jacobs and her sister owned, taking tickets out in the booth (double features were cheap), and our neighbor Laverne cleaned each night. I religiously combed St. John’s Helpful Shop for treasures. I’d take my dog for walks on the train trestle. Sometimes Creepers and I would get into it with a local policeman—sometimes there were altercations over parking—but generally everyone got along. On Oct. 17, 1989, came the big quake. There was a tsunami warning for Capitola Village. We stayed. Frightened but close to the ones and the place we loved.
Magdalena Montagne is a poet, editor and teacher who leads poetry writing workshops in conjunction with Santa Cruz libraries and hosts the long-running Poets’ Circle Poetry Reading Series at the Watsonville Public Library. Her book Earth My Witness is available from Finishing Line Press. Find out more atpoetrycirclewithmagdalena.com.
Anyone who wants to meet an 11-foot yeti face-to-face and save the multiverse within the same hour can make those dreams of multiversal heroics and mythical encounters come true in a uniquely Santa Cruz art installation.
A “dimensional convergence” has taken over the abandoned Victoria’s Secret in the Capitola Mall, transforming it intoMiddleof: A Journey of Mythical Proportions—an immersive experience that sets “accidental adventurers” on a perilous quest through elaborate dimensions, packed with intricately detailed puppets and interactive digital displays. The mission? To save the universe from the evil clutches of the Interdimensional Cryogenic Capture and Containment Corporation (ICCCI).
The installation leads guests through a labyrinth of rooms, each representing a slice of a dimension pulled into the world of Middleof. The adventure begins at the lavish Mercurio Manor, home to man-eating plants and dragons, and moves through the land of Underest, ruled by an 11-foot-tall yeti queen and her daughter. Along the way there are ICCCI agents, a golden griffin with a booming voice, mischievous fairies and dragons—all brought to life by local artists and performers.
Middleof is the brainchild of Ricki Vincent, artistic director of the Puppetry Institute (also located in the Capitola Mall). Inspired by a visit to the underground arts collective Meow Wolf in Denver with his wife—and fueled by a desire to step away from the limitations of the grant system—the couple began designing and transforming an abandoned retail space into an immersive and interactive installation. Unlike the multimillion-dollar Meow Wolf, Middleof was built modestly.
“We went to Meow Wolf and left thinking, ‘This is cool, but it’s not interactive enough.’ So we came up with Middleof. We needed $20,000 to build it—$17,000 came from donations, and the rest came out of my paychecks,” says Vincent.
Vincent’s love for puppetry began at the age of four, after watching Jim Henson on The Jack Paar Show.
“My mom woke me up to watch Henson on TV, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The next morning, I woke up my grandmother. She handed me a pair of sewing shears and a huge fur coat—she was a woman of tremendous girth—and taught me how to use her pedal-driven sewing machine,” he recalls.
By the age of 8, Vincent had launched his “entrepuppetneurial” journey, converting his mom’s garage in Denver into his first installation.
“No matter where my mom was renting, if it had a garage, I’d turn it into a puppet theater. Then I’d find out what kids in the neighborhood got for their allowance and charge them half to come see my show,” says Vincent.
After a decades-long break from puppetry, Vincent’s passion was reignited in his mid-30s.
“I was running a tattoo parlor in Denver when I saw an episode of Muppets Tonight, realized I wasn’t as cool as I thought I was, and said on the spot, ‘I’m going back to doing puppets.’ My employees thought I went insane and went to my mom telling her to commit me to an institution because the puppet thing had taken over… then my mom threatened them with a broom,” Vincent recalls.
Over the past 20 years, Vincent has gone from living in his van to receiving $50,000 in grants for touring shows. In 2018, he founded the Puppetry Institute in Santa Cruz, and in May 2025, Middleof was born. His dream is to make Middleof a staple of Santa Cruz’s cultural landscape standing tall alongside the redwoods, the boardwalk, and the Mystery Spot.
“Thank you, Santa Cruz. It’s been a wonderful eight years. Please come visit the Institute and Middleof. There’s so much I can teach and share,” Vincent muses. “Art and commerce can thrive together—not just locally, but with tourists, too. Let’s make this place one more jewel in our artsy crown.”
Middleof can be found in the former Victoria’s Secret at the Capitola Mall. Museum Mode (Gallery Experience) hours are Thursdays, 11am–4pm ($10 per person). Adventure Mode (Interactive Quest) hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 4–7pm ($20 per person). Tours begin at the top of the hour. Adventures are limited to 12 participants. To reserve a spot, visit thepuppetryinstitute.org.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream once again fills the Grove with a frisky quartet of absorbing plotlines and repertory actors transformed by the power of make believe, split-second timing and director Paul Mullins.
We all know the story. A midsummer caper of romance and mischief. There will be a magic love potion. It is intended to help true love blossom. It will in fact be used to create a lot of mismatched lovers. The irrational course of true love “never did run true.”
There are mortal royals, and there are immortal royals. Two sets of human lovers, a bunch of blue collars blundering outside their comfort zone, a quintet of fairy helpers, and one very powerful, mischievous sprite called Puck.
Yes, we all know the story. But the great pleasure of seeing this production lies in seeing how this group of actors, in this setting, will bring Shakespeare’s most popular play to life.
PLOTS AND SUBPLOTS Fairy helpers surround Bottom (Mike Ryan) and Titania (Paige Lindsey White) in ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream.’ PHOTO: rr jones
In the romance department we have former rivals the Duke of Athens (a commanding Corey Jones) and Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta (Charlotte Munson), on the verge of their wedding. Next we meet young Hermia (Allie Pratt) and her lover Lysander (Nick Rossi) agreeing to flee into the woods to escape the commands of her father and the constrictive laws of Athens. But wait! Another young Athenian, Demetrius (Elliot Sagay) is also in love with Hermia and flees into the woods to escape the unwanted affections of Helena (an enthralling Lily Kops). So off they go, uh, into the woods. But there’s more up Shakespeare’s tireless sleeve.
A quintet of working men, the infamous “rude mechanicals,” agree to rehearse a play they will perform for the Duke’s wedding. What could go wrong? And in one more plot strand Oberon, King of the Fairies (a sexy and swaggering ML Roberts), decides to prank his Queen Titania (a haughty Paige Lindsey White), with help from his impish servant Puck (the scene-stealing Justin Joung). These strands interweave juicily through some of the most beautiful verse, not to mention funniest situations, ever dreamed up by the Bard.
This woodland romp through the warring jealousies of mortals and forest creatures all leads up to the ultimate comedic play-within-the-play, the tale of Pyramus/Francis Flute (an inspired Jono Eiland) and Thisby/Nick Bottom (Mike Ryan). B. Modern’s minimalist accessories, the thistle crowns worn by Titania’s sprightly fairy attendants and captivating headdress of red flames worn by Puck, are delightful.
A romance with longing and mischief, Midsummer is also a cautionary tale: Be careful what you wish for. The center of the production is taken up with horseplay involving the exasperated Helena pining for the man she loves, and an irate Hermia wondering why her boyfriend has switched his affections. In the big quarrel that ensues between Hermia and Lysander, the acting (perhaps by direction?) erupts into screeching, howling, wrestling and broad slapstick. Allie Pratt, so sensitive in last season’s Glass Menagerie, is here reduced to shrill caterwauling.
To wrap things up: In order to set things right, Puck cleverly puts the Athenian lovers to sleep. An ingenious physical actor, Justin Joung makes a show-stopping Puck, using the stage’s many trap doors for stunning entrances and exits. When he appears, the entire production picks up in pace and charm. Overseeing the histrionics, Oberon commands Puck to undo the war of the sexes he’s created with his herbal sorcery. With all the lovers back to the way they were, the weddings are about to take place.
But first, the entertainment! Director Mullins pumps up the rom-com into the side-splitting mini-play of Pyramus and Thisby, in which an over-the-top Mike Ryan thrusts a wooden sword into himself over and over. And as Thisby, Jono Eiland over-the-topped even Ryan’s perfectly timed antics. The scene is among the funniest ever written.
For full shimmering effect, nighttime is the right time to enjoy A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the glowing moon-globe Puck utilizes for his stop-motion enchantment. The play’s magical transformations, romantic confusion and fairy hijinks are the perfect fit for the Grove after dark.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs through Aug. 31 at the Audrey Stanley Grove, 501 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz. santacruzshakespeare.org
Just when you thought you knew something about Bach, you hear Carmel Bach Festival’s performance of the B Minor Mass. And everything changes. Completed in 1749, the year before Bach’s death, this piece is revered by every professional musician on the planet. Nothing less than a sonic encyclopedia of Bach’s passion for choral style and invention.
So diverse and in-depth was Artistic Director Grete Pedersen’s programming for the festival’s 88th season that any day’s concerts would have rewarded a music lover. But the July 13 performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s ultimate legacy was this year’s highlight. Bach literally illustrates the heart of the Christian liturgy in this single, ultimate work.
The mass is a synthesis of Bach’s important earlier work, filled with fresh epiphanies for orchestra and full chorus interspersed with smaller ensemble sections and many period instruments, including archlute, continuo and transverse flute. Altogether, it created a massive sonic landscape emblazoned by intimate arias for selected instruments and voices. The syncopated call and response of the electrifying Kyrie announced that we were deep inside Bach’s spiritual consciousness from the start. The Gloria unloaded the unmistakable baroque sound of tympanum and horns. The oboe and alto duet in the Qui sedes was enchanting, allowing the full colors of soloist Guadalupe Paz’s voice to unfurl. Et in terra pax—unspeakably moving. Throughout the performance, notably in the Laudamus te and Domine Deus, the opulent soprano of Clara Rottsolk leaped and soared.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, the duet between the bass soloist, the consummate Dashon Burton, and the oboe, took the movement into yet a new time signature, practically a dance. With the Sanctus, Bach let us hear the angels descending (an anticipation of Mahler in some passages) through the stunning chromaticism of slashing downward chords. In duet arias Paul Dwyer’s cello achieved honeyed perfection. Conductor Pedersen kept the masterwork thrillingly engaged, her movements clear and confident, with only a rare moment where the simpatico between voices and instruments seemed to wobble, somewhere between the Benedictus and the Osana.
Setting the tone, two flutes—Lars Johannesson and Stephen Schultz—entered the darkened hall and performed their ethereal obbligatos standing in the central aisles, placing the audience into the very center of the haunting Kyrie. Bravo to all. A stunning performance. I can’t wait for next year and more of this brilliant festival. A beautiful hour’s drive down the coast from Santa Cruz. bachfestival.org
Coming Attractions
36 North: A Playwrights’ Collective presents some fresh Works in Progress, on Monday. Think of it as a peek behind the curtain into the working drafts of playwriting, where the ideas evolve in plays that are still being penned, the ink not yet dry. Eight playwrights, and/or their friends, will offer an informal script-in-hand reading from the work that keeps them up at night. Expect different flavors and textures from members of a playwriting group who aren’t afraid to bare their souls to each other. In the spotlight are pieces by Steve Capasso, Gail Thornton Borkowski, Kathy Chetkovich, Ruth Elliot, Susan Forrest, Steve Spike Wong, Deborah Bryant and Wilma Marcus Chandler. Admission is free—donations welcome!—for the 7pm show on Aug. 11 at Actors’ Theatre, 1001 Center St, Santa Cruz. 36north.org.
ENCHANTED MELODIES Santa Cruz Opera Project presents Caleb Yaezz-Glickman and Emily Gallagher in a playful 45-minute opera filled with interactive music and storytelling. PHOTO: Contributed
Enchanted Melodies is a playful 45-minute opera filled with interactive music and storytelling designed to enthrall youngsters and families. We can thank the innovative Santa Cruz Opera Project for bringing soprano Emily Gallagher and pianist Caleb Yaezz-Glickman to town. The Los Angeles-based duo perform a brisk, magical experience that encourages children to try out their own voice. It starts at 1pm on Aug. 30 at the Market Street Senior Center, 222 Market St., Santa Cruz. Tickets: $20/adults;$15/ children. santacruzoperaproject.org.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s restless artistic director, Charles Pasternak, has programmed Monday Night Revels this summer: multi-musical offerings guaranteed to entice us up to DeLaveaga on Monday evenings. Fans of Shakespeare-inspired drag performance won’t want to miss Pink Ladies of the Sonnets on Aug. 4. Looking ahead, on Sept. 22, the Surf City All-Stars take the stage with a Beach Boys tribute. 7pm at Audrey Stanley Grove, 501 Upper Park Road, Santa Cruz. $5.50–$55. Tickets: santacruzshakespeare.org.
This winter marks the 250th birthday of Jane Austen, one of the most celebrated and enduring authors of her time. Her work continues to inspire modern adaptations, from 1995’s Clueless, based on Austen’s Emma, to multiple filmed versions of Pride and Prejudice—and a lesser-known stage adaptation by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan.
Now in its fourth season—the third at the Broadway Playhouse—Midsummer Ensemble is returning with a fresh and humorous exploration of the Hanreddy and Sullivan play, under the direction of company veterans Molly Craft and Molly Meyers.
“Sometimes Austen’s books can get a reputation for being pure romance, but they also have a lot of depth and humor,” Meyers says. “Her novels focus on social commentary, and romantic relationships are part of that commentary.”
Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, the two eldest of five sisters, as they navigate the grim reality that if they don’t marry into wealth, they’ll be forced to work once their aging father passes because their home will go to a male cousin.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are extremes,” says actor Abby Smith, who plays Elizabeth Bennet. “Mrs. Bennet is basically Miss Piggy. Mr. Bennet is cold and detached. But all of it stems from anxiety. That anxiety shows when she asks, ‘Why didn’t you promise this estate to any of your daughters?’ None of the daughters can inherit. Their only hope is to marry. The idea of women working wasn’t even considered. When we talk about Austen, we’re not talking feminist ideas, we’re talking proto-feminism.”
The anxiety isn’t born of laziness, but of how women’s labor was viewed in the Regency era. Women could only work as servants or nurses—“jobs unfit for the daughters of gentlemen.”
“Austen masterfully pokes fun at classic archetypes and the fears of these wealthy young women, who act like they’re one step away from the streets when what they’re really terrified of is having to get a job,” Meyers says.
When the wealthy Mr. Bingley moves into a nearby estate, the Bennets eagerly seek an introduction. Jane and Bingley fall for each other quickly, while Elizabeth and Bingley’s friend, Mr. Darcy, clash in a series of arguments and misunderstandings that slowly give way to mutual respect and something more. It’s a timeless tale, akin to Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, full of wit, conflict and unexpected affection.
“These are very silly people being ruled by very silly conventions about love and marriage,” Smith says. “Jane [Bennet] is a bit of a romantic, but practical too. In the end, everyone’s just trying to find some kind of peace in a confusing world.”
To many Austen fans, her stories are a witty reminder that lovers don’t always get along. Sometimes they absolutely hate each other’s guts. “Elizabeth and Darcy don’t understand each other at first because they speak and think so differently. But over time, they learn how the other’s mind works. They’re trying to find something real in all the arguing.”
Pride and Prejudice runs Aug. 8–17 at Broadway Playhouse, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz. Tickets: $16.30. midsummerensemble.com
It’s true for every microbrewery that there’s a story behind each beer. The smaller the operational scale, the more attention can be paid and loving cheffery applied to each release. They call it craft beer for a reason.
But at Discretion Brewing, the stories are richer because many of their releases benefit outside organizations and charities. Married co-owners Rob and Kathleen Genco do their utmost to live up to their company motto printed on every can: “Choose goodness. Have Discretion.”
I sat down with them after their 12th anniversary party at their Soquel HQ to hear some of these stories.
Woodland Critters (2015)
“The Land Trust [of Santa Cruz County] was our first beneficiary,” Kathleen says. “Rob and I have been supporters for over 30 years now. I first heard about them after my dad passed away.”
The trust was aiming to preserve the sand hills between Scotts Valley and Felton, a place her father always took her, and she thought donating to that specific project would be the perfect way to honor him.
“And then we just kept on with them because the more I learned, the more I thought, ‘I like this. I like the land around us.’”
Rob’s experience with the organization was day-to-day, if from a distance.
“I was a commuter over Highway 17 for 25 years, so I got to watch the development of the undercrossing,” he says, referring to the wildlife pathway built beneath the Laurel Curve, where so many animals lost their lives in traffic collisions before the Land Trust intervened.
The title Woodland Critters evokes the wildlife protected but also the tiny organisms habitating in the wooden barrels that age the beer. Beer is a miracle of organic chemistry, a fusion of living elements, and despite the best quality control, recipes can produce different results. This release series is a testament to that, changing each time it’s made. #9 happens to be a sour wheat ale.
“They’re almost all sours, depending on what the critters are doing in there,” she says.
Submarine Canyon IPA (2015)
Sometimes brewmaster Michael Demers and head brewer Jack Beiting theme the brew to the need, using ingredients that evoke for the consumer something about the cause that release will serve. That was the case for Submarine Canyon IPA, proceeds of which go to Save Our Shores, the Santa Cruz educational nonprofit committed to ocean conservation. That thematic recipe was brightened by Meyer lemon, with sea salt harvested from the Monterey Bay.
“Generally, it’s more ‘what do we want to contribute to and support?’” says Rob. “And then, ‘what kind of beer do we want to make for it?’”
IPAs are often the choice due to their surging popularity. But sometimes, the brew is based on absentia.
“What will fill out our list of available beers right now?” says Kathleen. “What don’t we have?”
Now everyone wants to have Submarine Canyon, so much that Discretion made it a yearly release tied to their anniversary party.
“Submarine Canyon we only do once a year and so it is a highly sought-after beer. It’s usually gone in a month.”
B.U.D. [Brewers United for David] (2017)
Some benefit beers arise to address an immediate tragedy.
When Fruition Brewing’s David Purgason was burned in a work accident at Venus Distillery, local breweries collaborated for a fundraising event at Lúpulo Craft Beer House, each brewing a hop-forward, low ABV Session IPA—his favorite—in his honor. B.U.D., aka Brewers United for David, was Discretion’s contribution, with assists from other industry friends.
“He was over the hill in the burn unit for weeks and weeks,” Kathleen says. “We were all so shocked. Brittany [Crass], who used to work at Shanty Shack, helped organize because she was a good friend of David’s partner, Tutti.”
“We knew that’s the style he liked, but everyone did their own take-off,” Rob says.
Each beer was named after him, from Shanty Shack’s “Davidade,” to Steel Bonnet’s “Airson,” which is David in Gaelic.
Pogonip Pale Ale (2018)
Chalkboard signs for all the beers Discretion ever produced are racked in their conference room, some to be seasonally reused, many permanently retired. The sheer number makes it easy to forgive them not instantly remembering every release, such as their Pogonip Pale Ale.
Kathleen unfurls the label, and she and Rob piece a story together.
“Because they were building their garden up in Pogonip…” Rob says.
“What happened with that?”
“Well, I think it was created and they were farming it, then the city discovered an immense amount of lead…”
“That’s right…”
“From skeet shooting up there back in the ’20s and ’30s.”
After that botched relocation that would’ve required millions to decontaminate, the nonprofit returned to their Shaffer Road land plot, but as with some benefit beers, the collaboration ended there.
“It is really delicious,” says Kathleen, as if to sweetly signal it wasn’t the beer’s fault. “It’s got grapefruit zest. But it didn’t continue as a fundraising beer.”
Their next effort for the unhoused came in 2022 with Flight Dreams Pale Ale, their first non-canned beer made specifically for a local organization, Wings, an advocacy group that assists the unhoused transitioning into housing.
Kathleen knew them because of her Uncle Dave, whose namesake rye IPA is a Discretion bestseller.
“His son-in-law started the organization. They work with the bigger organizations to get people’s needs met during that transition time.”
STRONGER TOGETHER A dozen breweries collaborated on Santa Cruz County Strong Hoppy Blond Ale, which commemorates the devastation of the CZU Lightning Complex fire. Photo: Discretion Brewery
While the Gencos open their beneficent hearts to national causes, as with Free Day IPA, which raised money for the NAACP and ACLU after the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, and Neighboring Pale Ale, for Western North Carolina hurricane relief in 2024, their focus is always on our community. Never is this more apparent than the all-hands-on-deck leadership for Santa Cruz County Strong Hoppy Blond Ale, a collaboration with eleven other local breweries to answer the devastation of the CZU Lightning Complex fire.
Since they were the “home” for the project, their brewers took point, but all voices were welcome. When the working title was “Santa Cruz Strong,” Donald Cramb of Scotts Valley’s Steel Bonnet spoke up. He suggested adding “county” as a distinction in order to encompass from his neck of the urban woods down to Corralitos, the span of breweries lending their helping hands.
A Love Story (2022)
These benefit beers can afford the brewers an opportunity to attempt something they’re enamored with, such as the Czech dark lager for A Love Story. Taproom lead Eric Wilderman brought Rob and Kathleen the idea of an ALS research benefit beer since he lost his father to the disease a few years before being hired. Unbeknownst to him, there was an uncanny cluster of ALS in the Discretion team histories: Beiting’s grandfather; taproom staff Chelsea and Elliot’s fathers; Kathleen’s high school friend.
Wilderman was an avid fan of that beer style, and so Beiting got to work, even knowing it was unfamiliar to the public. Initially brewed as a lark, “It actually is a good seller now,” says Rob. “We didn’t expect it to be.”
Because it’s “rich and chocolatey and toasty,” they schedule it for winter.
“People like it,” Kathleen says, “and they like the story.”
Discretion Brewing, 2703 41st Ave., Suite A, Soquel. Visit discretionbrewing.com to see current offerings. Some beers detailed here are no longer in regular production rotation, and others were never commercially available. Join them Saturday, Sept. 28, for A Taste of Soquel, where they’ll be pouring to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. For details, visit tasteofsoquel.org.
As vineyard manager at the 7,000-acre Paicines Ranch in San Benito County, Kelly Mulville has a rather significant task: he’s trying to practice organic, regenerative farming on 25 acres of vines while surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards being conventionally farmed.
“Our underlying philosophy is to allow, enable and support nature to flourish,” says Mulville, a longtime practitioner of holistic farming.
Adds Mulville, who came to Paicines Ranch in 2013, “We are trying to better understand our relationship with the natural world. It’s a constant balancing act.”
Conventional farming takes the approach of “how do we control the landscape to give us what we want?” While regenerative farming seeks to work with nature instead of at cross purposes, the end game is to do so in an economically viable manner.
That’s the challenge.
Working at Paicines Ranch, which has 300 acres of row crops and 7,000 acres of rangeland which support cattle, turkeys, pigs and sheep, is the fulfilment of a dream he’s long pursued—a dream that involves growing both grapes and produce.
Mulville has more than 25 years of viticulture experience in Arizona, California, New Zealand, Spain and Australia, and for a time farmed produce on the high plains of Colorado. His life trajectory changed when he met Sallie Calhoun, owner and manager of Paicines Ranch, who was looking for someone to help restore the ecosystem there.
As founder of the NoRegrets Initiative, Calhoun, who spent her early career in high tech as an engineer and co-founder of Globetrotter Software, her focus is on restoring soil health while sequestering carbon to mitigate climate change.
Calhoun and Matt Christiano acquired Paicines Ranch in 2001, when a proposed housing development for the former cattle ranch fell through. A longtime fan of native perennial grasses, Calhoun began reintroducing these grasses and developing a sustainable grazing program. She quickly recognized in Mulville the perfect person to install an organic vineyard as part of her vision for the ranch.
Most vineyards are farmed as a monoculture, devoid of vegetation save for vines. In contrast, the vineyard at Paicines Ranch is a polyculture that sports a partial overhead trellis system that allows sheep to graze among the vines throughout the year.
Most vineyards in the U.S. only allow sheep to graze on cover crops in the early spring before the vines bud out, as the tender shoots are too tempting for them to ignore. But Mulville wanted these wooly weed eaters to be able to graze in the vines all summer long, adding their fertilizer to the soil while aerating it with their hooves.
Mulville says the high fruit zone trellising also provides more shade from the canopy.
“It’s better for frost protection and mitigating heat, and it’s less expensive to install than conventional systems. If you go to Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain, many of the older vineyards are using higher trellising systems. It wasn’t just about a monoculture. They probably had chickens, pigs, goats and sheep way back then,” he said.
The benefits are many: having sheep doing the work eliminates the need for tillage and mowing between rows; as well as herbicides, suckering and hand weeding beneath the vines. Even more importantly, it improves soil health and encourages a diversity of plants, insects and birds. The results are measurable.
“We had an entomologist from UC Santa Cruz study our soils compared to neighboring conventional vineyards, and he says we are on the right path in a significant way,” Mulville said. “We are leading to the outcome we want and so are they. While theirs is financial, our goals are broader. We have observed a huge increase in insects and birds. We are part of a UC Davis study on regenerative vineyard farming versus conventional.”
For Calhoun and Mulville, soil health is the underlying tenet of this grand experiment. When Mulville surveyed the land before installing the first vineyard, they had 11 species of plants on the site.
“We are at well over 100 species now,” Mulville said. “Some we introduced and some came in on their own. Before we planted the vineyard, we used cover crops to add nutrients, and now we don’t even need it. The ecosystem put itself in a good position to support the vineyard, and all the birds brought in seeds and helped establish the current plant community.”
All those birds have, in turn, attracted birders, who flock to the ranch to observe, learn and become part of the larger ecosystem themselves. That’s the whole goal of the Ranch: to restore, renew and educate.
The ranch has regularly scheduled yoga classes and offers retreats with lodging and meal plans. Lunch, open to the public, is served most Thursdays from 11:30am-1:30pm at The Overlook, and tickets must be purchased by noon the day before. Paicines Ranch also offers an online store for purchasing pasture-raised lamb, beef, pork and turkey, along with heat-and-serve meals and merchandise.
As for the vineyard, the organically grown 17 varieties of grapes, including Assyrtiko, Fiano and Grenache Gris, have attracted a cadre of pioneering winemakers, including many women who are making Paicines Ranch Vineyard designated wines.
Mulville says he is currently working with nine vintners, including Margins, Terah Wines, Miguel Lepe Cellars, James Jelks, Stirm and Camins 2 Dream—the latter being the only label in California made by a Native American (Chumash) female winemaker.
“We interview all the people who make wine from here,” Mulville says. “We have to be on the same page. We want them to tell the story of what we are doing here.”
A winemaker dinner is planned for Dec. 6. Mulville muses that they could feature five different versions of Grenache. Now that’s diversity you can taste and appreciate.
Paicines Ranch, 13388 Airline Hwy., Paicines. Learn more at paicinesranch.com.
Fresh seafood—grilled, baked, or sautéed with lemon and herbs, Gordon Ramsay-style. What could be more simple, healthy and delicious?
The answer depends on where you buy your fish—because in today’s seafood market, there’s a good chance you’re not getting what you think. Mislabeled species, questionable origins and misleading freshness claims are surprisingly common. So that perfect piece of “wild-caught” seabass? It might not be wild, or even seabass.
Ocean2Table, founded in 2014 by UCSC Environmental Studies graduates Ian Cole and Charlie Lambert, is a Santa Cruz–based Community Supported Fishery dedicated to delivering ultra-fresh, traceable food straight from the ocean and earth to your plate—no airplane required. Originally focused on sustainable seafood, Ocean2Table now offers a range of high-quality choices, all sourced with integrity and transparency with an emphasis on local.
Cole and Lambert launched Ocean2Table after working in fishery management, where they witnessed firsthand the alarming extent of seafood fraud. From rampant mislabeling to misleading catch data, they saw a system that left consumers in the dark. Their solution: build a direct connection between local fishermen and community members that is grounded in transparency and trust.
Today, Ocean2Table works with dozens of fishermen, offloading catch from fleets they’ve known for years or catching fish themselves via hook and line. They avoid species or methods linked to bycatch, habitat destruction or poor stock status. Their Fish Alert emails update customers on what’s available based on when the boats come in—there’s no fixed schedule, but there is a promise: delivery within a day of the catch being unloaded.
Over time, Cole and Lambert have continued to expand their offerings beyond seafood. They now manage a small orchard in Santa Cruz’s Ocean Street Extension, supplying avocados, peaches, plums, citrus, apples and pears, and locally grown or foraged mushrooms, plus poultry, dairy and pantry items—all traceable to the source.
The result is high-quality, responsibly harvested items from growers pushing the boundaries of sustainability. Their website even lists the name of the grower, harvester or producer to caption the image of each offering. The focus is on building a better food system for future generations: sustainability 2.0.
With multiple pickup sites, including a newly opened location on Swift Street (around the corner at the end of the building) combined with pickup and home delivery throughout Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, Ocean2Table is reimagining local food systems. The mission: to shorten the supply chain, reduce waste and help people reconnect with the origin of their food—one catch, crop and connection at a time.
Ocean2Table, 427 Swift St., Suite C, Santa Cruz. 831-295-8403. getocean2table.com
Summer’s here and the drinking is easy—or at least it should be. To help out folks who are looking for a new day-drinkin’ BFF, our taste testers sacrificed themselves in the name of scientific research. We set out to responsibly taste test the trendiest new crop of canned, boxed, balled and otherwise contained cocktails. These are the results of our experiences. Cheers!
SELTZER WATER WITH BENEFITS Local brand West Peak got positive reviews from Good Times’ tasters. Photo: Contributed
Best Starter Booze: Beat Box
Overview: From the leak-free, totally resealable, eco-friendly “juice box” design with bright hues to the swirly line drawings and animations straight out of a coloring book, everything about this brand screams out for the youthful drinker. This is “100% baby’s first juice-booze box,” snarked one taster. And while it is pitched as “the world’s tastiest party punch,” our tasters did not always agree.
One of the main issues (as with BuzzBallz, see below) is the use of an ingredient called “premium other than standard orange wine.” While we have no idea what that even means (apart from the obvious), this tends to create a sticky-sweet-aspartame taste with a nasty-gross aftertaste that lingers. For a while. We found the flavors Orange Blast and Fruit Punch to be completely undrinkable, with one taster saying “this is the flavor of the last thing I drank before I puked.”
That said, the Green Apple flavor tastes almost exactly like the Jolly Rancher hard candy and the color is so green it could easily be The Hulk’s signature cocktail. Hard Tea was a favorite among tea drinkers (duh), but not so much among our non-tea folks. But with 11% alcohol, only 100 calories and just 4 grams of carbs, Beat Box offers the highest “buzz-per-calorie” rating in our overall test. Just be forewarned about that funky orange wine.
The Deets: 11.1% alcohol; 100 calories; 4 grams carbs
Overview: We enjoyed absolutely everything about this line of canned cocktails made with blue agave tequila. We also got a lot of thumbs up and heart emojis from our friends on social media, where VMC is getting a lot of (forgive us) buzz lately. From a marketing standpoint, if Beat Box is for your young, maybe-still-pimply VR-gamin’ cousin who just came of drinking age, VMC is for your beautiful, sophisticated niece who dresses impeccably, likes gold and wants a drink that doubles as an accessory (when she finishes her Matcha). This is the quintessential drink for posing poolside. Our tasters also felt the flavors were fresh, light and tasty and “you could easily chug” these drinks if the situation called for that, as it sometimes does. We taste. We don’t judge. We were disappointed that the Tamarind flavor was not in the sampler we purchased, because that sounds delicious.
The Deets: 5.5% alcohol; 130-150 calories; 10-14 grams of sugar
Fave Flavors: Jamaica Hibiscus Cocktail and Margarita
Didn’t Love: Paloma smelled like Fresca, which was nice, but had a too-sweet, almost powdery consistency
Best Frozen Solid: Cut Water Spirit Pops
“The ice is nice and crunchy,” our taster said. “This would be great for those who like to munch on ice.” Cut Water spirit pops are like “Otter Pops with benefits” according to another taster. And that is an apt description because they are exactly like an Otter Pop, with that same packaging, easy grab and go convenience and no cup or glass needed. Plus, they come with great flavor and a nice little kick of alcohol. Our tasters liked the crunchy first bite, but also enjoyed the pop once it reached more of a slushy consistency. It’s unclear if they would remain fully frozen in a cooler at the campsite, picnic or the beach, but frozen solid straight out of a freezer, they were refreshing, icy-cold and satisfying. Following the recommendation of friends, we tried freezing a few of the Beat Box flavors, which didn’t work because, well, the box froze and then we couldn’t get any of the liquid out. But with the Cut Water pops, you simply cut the plastic top off and push the frozen part up. We’ll say it again: Otter Pop with a kick, anyone? Count us in!
The Deets: 5.9-7% alcohol; 80 calories; gluten free
Fave Flavors: Rum Mojito, Rum Mai Tai
Didn’t Love: Chocolate Banana…which probably doesn’t need an explanation
Best After Alligator Wrestling: Cayman Jack
“This is something I can drink around my guy friends without apologizing that it’s not a beer,” said one of our male tasters. “It’s very manly.” While the gals in the group were not exactly sure why that mattered, it did definitely seem like the more testosterone you had, the more you liked this brand. Stunned that the standard Cayman Jack margaritas have 33-38 grams of sugar per can, we decided to try the “zero sugar” Margarita sampler pack. While they were not as pleasing as the VMC margaritas, they were fine enough. While sort of “meh” and nothing to write home about, for the manly-men out there looking for a highly masculine non-beer alternative on the next fishing, cross bow or hunting trip, we raise a glass!
The Deets: 4.8% alcohol; 100 calories
Fave Flavors: Mango, Strawberry Margarita
Didn’t Love: Passion Fruit Margarita, Margarita
READY TO POUR Just add ice to get the party started. Photo: Teodor Costachioiu Shutterstock
The Best Balls: BuzzBallz
Of all the pre-made cocktails generating buzz out there today, few are doing it better than BuzzBallz. Whether it’s the little ballz (6 oz.) or the “Biggie” ballz (1.75 liters), they seem to be bouncing around everywhere. As deeply committed researchers, we gave our all to this exercise and tried no fewer than 12 BuzzBallz flavors. We had some very low scores with flavors such as Berry Cherry Limeade, which sounds like it’s having a massive identity crisis, and Horchata, which all of us WANTED so much to love, but just couldn’t. It was awful. The only flavor we liked LESS than Horchata was the Hazelnut Latte, which has the sad distinction of being the only flavor in this entire project that got a ZERO rating from everyone who tasted it.
We discovered that the trouble with BuzzBallz is similar to the issue with Beat Box, but in the case of BuzzBallz it’s peach (not orange) wine. What’s the problem? “It tastes like ass,” our most emphatic taster offered up.
But never to be called out for our lack of commitment—remember, we tried 12 flavors—we had the most heart for the Chili Mango flavor (which surprised us all) and the Tequila Rita (which surprised no one). The Cran Blaster flavor also pleased some of our tasters.
But overall we sort of struggled to see what all the buzz about BuzzBallz is about. We questioned if we weren’t young, hip or cool enough—even though we are all of those things! We ultimately arrived at a few flavors we would willingly drink…and not just because it’s the last thing in the cooler at the end of the party. But it took a lot of work and the vile aftertaste of that peach wine almost wasn’t worth it.
What’s funny about BuzzBallz is despite being a so-called pre-made cocktail, they still seem like they are missing something. Many times our tasters found themselves saying, “if you just put some more coffee in it” or “it needs lime, salt and cilantro” or “if you added a little Irish Cream or Kahlua”…which sort of defeats the whole notion of a pre-made cocktail. That said, these little ballz could also play nicely as a mixer in a blended drink where additional zhuzh can help mask the nastiness of that peach wine.
Yesterday…today…tomorrow. Like true love, we are forever here for the High Noon. It’s the OG of OGs in the canned seltzer category, alongside White Claw and Truly, which all of our testers agreed are all still quite good, if a little played out. But there’s just something about High Noon that stands apart. We got the sampler that included Grapefruit, Pineapple, Watermelon and Black Cherry—and every flavor rated at least an 8 on our 1-10 scale. Our tasters had previously experienced Mango and that was also considered a favorite. In 2023, High Noon was the top-selling “RTD” (Ready To Drink) brand and by all accounts they are still going strong.
The Deets: 4.5% alcohol; 100 calories; 2.6 to 3.0 grams sugar
Fave Flavors: Grapefruit, Pineapple, Watermelon and Black Cherry
Didn’t Love: We’ve never met a High Noon we don’t like!
Best Regional Bevvie: West Peak
One of the newest entrants to the canned cocktail game is Santa Cruz’s own West Peak. True to its local roots, West Peak’s marketing claims it is “not just creating a new product, we’re igniting a rebellion against the mundane.” They seek to achieve this by offering the refreshment of a seltzer with the complexity of a cocktail. Our tasters especially liked the Sparking Tequila Paloma which the label says contains a hint of ruby red grapefruit and sea salt, both of which rang deliciously true on our taste buds. The sea salt in particular was a nice addition—fresh and unexpected in terms of the taste, but also charming in a nod to the ocean environment from which the West Peak brand originates. The Sparkling White Rum Cooler claims a hint of Yuzu lemon and Ume plum, neither of which we were familiar with, but make for a clean, light, refreshing thirst quencher. “I could see these being a huge hit with the La Croix, Spindrift crowd when they want an added kick,” said one taster, referencing two popular brands of canned sparkling waters. “Seltzer water with benefits, perhaps?” asked another taster. “Exactly!”
After seeing them half a dozen times over the past decade or so, I can safely say there’s nothing like a Primus concert. They’re one of the only bands around today that can bring kids, parents and grandparents along with rockers, hippies, trippers, metalheads and punks all together in one area happily dancing, smoking and getting along with one another.
Last Sunday night, Aug. 2, at the UC Santa Cruz Quarry Amphitheatre was a perfect example of that.
First off, for those who have never been to the Quarry Amphitheatre, do yourself a favor and find a concert you want to see there and buy the ticket. The 2,600 standing capacity, 2,300 sitting capacity, open air venue is nestled between the redwoods under the stars and has an air of magic about it. The sound in the natural amphitheatre is immaculate and the lights cast an enchanting glow. This was my first experience—despite having written about it when it reopened—and it definitely won’t be my last.
Unlike most of the fans there, I was working the show as a volunteer. The tickets were divided into several different tiers with VIP holders getting an intimate Q&A with the band prior to the show. The group I was assigned to wrangled the “Lucky Bastards,” as they were called, into the college classroom for the event. After everyone filed in, the band was brought out into director chairs in front of a backdrop featuring the “Onward & Upward” tour poster art.
Unfortunately, I was only able to stay for part of the Q&A and neither photos, audio recording or video recording was allowed. Fans were asking questions for the band’s new drummer, John Hoffman, about touring; questions for bassist Les Claypool and guitarist Larry LaLonde about recording with the late, great Ozzy Osbourne; and if Primus was a pizza, what would the toppings be.
“Cheese,” LaLonde laughed.
One of the more interesting questions was directed toward Claypool and LaLonde about if—and how—Hoffman has changed the dynamic of the band.
After explaining the band wasn’t expecting to be on tour at the moment, Claypool gave Hoffman credit for “blowing some exciting wind into the Primus sails.” He added they’re currently talking about going into the studio following the debut of their newest track, “Little Lord Fentanyl,” released this past May despite having no intention pre-Hoffman earlier this year.
One thing I took away from the Q&A was that Primus loves a good shirt. For the first several questions, either the band or the fans—or both—exchanged mutual respect and love for the various shirts each was wearing. It was quirky and fun to observe the pleasantries and something that felt so very Primus for some reason. Especially when Claypool said one fan’s shirt looks like the formica sinks at his Claypool Cellars winery in Sebastopol.
SETTING THE STAGE Nestled between the redwoods under the stars, the Quarry Amphitheatre has an air of magic about it. PHOTO: Mat Weir
Despite being toward the end of the tour—which finalizes Aug. 8 in Sacramento—the band was in great form. While indie rock act Rooney was billed as openers, Primus went on without them around 8:20pm. Their first set was a mix of deep cuts and mellow jams like “Groundhog’s Day,” “Restin’ Bones” and “Bob’s Partytime Lounge.”
In a surprise twist, they ended the first set with “Thela Hun Ginjeet” by prog rock legends King Crimson. It was reminiscent of shortly after the Covid lockdowns were lifted in 2021, when Primus went on tour performing Rush’s A Farewell to Kings album in its entirety. Does the inclusion of King Crimson’s track hint at a future cover tour? We shall see.
After a brief intermission, Primus hit the stage for a second set that was packed with energetic bangers and fan favorites. They opened with “The Heckler,” off 1999’s Antipop, then went straight into “Little Lord Fentanyl.” From there they unleashed an arsenal of strange goodness like “American Life,” “Welcome to This World,” “My Name is Mud” and into the aquatically atmospheric “The Ol’ Diamondback Sturgeon (Fisherman’s Chronicles Pt. 3).”
Like I said, Primus brings all types of music fans together and I’ve seen some of the strangest—and nicest in demeanor—mosh pits at their shows. Surprisingly, not a single pit broke out until “Jerry Was a Racecar Driver,” the third to last song of the night. The set ended with a hearty version of “Follow the Fool” then came back out for a very extended (10- to 15-minute) encore of “Harold on the Rocks” where LaLonde went off on a jam that sounded like it had hints of Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused” mixed in.
Maybe it was the outdoor venue under the stars. Maybe it was the three hours of sleep I got the night before working multiple jobs all day. But this was one of the more interesting Primus shows I’ve been to in terms of energy and songs played.
That’s not to say it was bad—not in the slightest. At this point in their career LaLonde and Claypool are finely skilled musical warriors, especially with the addition of new blood behind the kit.
From a longtime fan’s point of view, the inclusion of Hoffman signals a golden era for the band that promises plenty of new chapters. But first they have to see just what they can do with this version—growing without the pains—and this tour seems like it’s the starting point for an upcoming marathon of frizzle frying, rhinoplasty and those damn blue-collared tweakers.
One thing’s for sure, Primus sucks and we love them for it.
Middleof: A Journey of Mythical Proportions is an immersive experience that sets “accidental adventurers” on a perilous quest through elaborate dimensions.
Midsummer Ensemble is returning with a fresh and humorous exploration of Pride and Prejudice under the direction of company veterans Molly Craft and Molly Meyers.
We set out to responsibly taste test the trendiest new crop of canned, boxed, balled and otherwise contained cocktails. These are the results of our experiences.
