5 Things To Do This Week

GT Staff
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5 Things To Do This Week

 

Green Fix

‘PlantPure Nation’ Screening

popouts1709-greenfixPlants are healthier than meat, we know this. But do we? The documentary PlantPure Nation tells the story of three people on a journey to inform the world about the biggest health breakthrough of all time: that a plant-based diet can prevent, and, in some cases, reverse many of the most deadly diseases in America. Filmed across the U.S., PlantPure Nation features editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine, Steve Forbes Jr., Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and a host of world-renowned experts, doctors and authors. Pre-registration suggested, admission is free and popcorn will be served.

Info: 6-8 p.m., Thursday, March 2. New Leaf Market, 1101 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz. newleaf.com/events. Free.

 

Art Seen

Standing Rock Presentation

popouts1709-artseenFor the past several months the North Dakota Access Pipeline has been all over the news: celebrities openly voiced their opposition, some joined protests, President Donald Trump advanced the pipeline with an executive order, and recently, on Feb. 23, Holly Miranda and Ani DiFranco released a Standing Rock protest song. Recent coverage of Standing Rock has shown camps being burned down and the remaining holdout protesters being arrested. This Sunday, March 5, Curtis Reliford and Spotted Elk invite the community to hear what locals saw at Standing Rock, what they learned, and what they brought back. There’ll be an open discussion, drumming, dancing, a slide show, and snacks.

Info: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, March 5. Peace United Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz. Free.

 

Thursday 3/2

Live Marathon Reading of ‘1984’

opinion1709-1984The term “Orwellian” was an adjective long before “alternative facts” were cited to justify a sitting U.S. presidents’ misinformation. Sales of George Orwell’s groundbreaking 1984 have spiked, making the chilling dystopian classic a sudden bestseller 68 years after its first publication. That’s why Bookshop Santa Cruz is hosting a one-day marathon reading of the book, featuring local authors, educators, activists, youth and others all reading a 20-minute portion of the book aloud. Come and go, sit and listen, or even make postcards with 1984 to send to elected officials.

Info: 10 a.m. Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. bookshopsantacruz.com. Free.

 

Saturday 3/4

Light Up the Night Bike Ride


Listen up bicyclists: Riding in the dark without any lights or reflective gear is dangerous, especially during this stormy season. So don’t be a ninny—learn all about nighttime safety with Bike Santa Cruz County and the Bicycle Trip with their third annual Light Up the Night community bike ride. And it’s not all serious doom and gloom—learning about bike safety doesn’t have to be a drag—there’ll be a pre-ride festival with free bike lights donated by Bell Helmets and others, plus bike and helmet decorating, and a free raffle. Groove through town with tunes and show up prepared for prizes for best costume, brightest bike and brightest rider.

Info: 4:30 p.m. Bicycle Trip, 1001 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. bikesantacruzcounty.org. 425-0665. Free.

 

Wednesday 3/8

‘I Am a Girl’ Screening International Women’s Day

popouts1709-i-am-a-girl-documentary-revealsWhat does it mean to be a girl in 2017? In celebration of International Women’s Day this Wednesday, Feb. 8, the Nickelodeon is screening I Am a Girl, a full-length documentary that explores the answer to that question. With feminism in all of its shapes, forms, and waves, the term has taken on new meanings, yet the disparity between the sexes in technology, science, discrimination, and violence, persist. I Am a Girl shares the stories of courageous girls who found ways to persevere. Ten percent of the proceeds benefit the National Women’s Law Center.

Info: 7:30 p.m. The Nickelodeon, 210 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz. 426-7500. gathr.us/screening/19465. $11.

How would you like to see immigration policy change?

Matthew Cole Scott
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How would you like to see immigration policy change?

“I think we’re all aliens and we need to let the aliens in.”

Mike McCarthy

Santa Cruz
Bicycles

“I think it’s more complicated than most people treat it … and it makes some people seem like haters when they are just concerned about security.”

Anne Breiley

Santa Cruz
Bookseller

“As long as the people want to make this country better, they deserve to be here. ”

Luca Viara

Santa Cruz
Executive Chef/Owner

“I hope our community stands up for those people.”

Steve Fall

Santa Cruz
Stunt Man

“Immigrants made America great. But more importantly, they made America.”

Richard Carey

Santa Cruz
Busser

Santa Cruz Music Picks March 1—7

GT Staff
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Santa Cruz Music Picks March 1—7

 

WEDNESDAY 3/1

FOLK

CHICKEN MAMA

Chicken Mama is the moniker for local singer-songwriter Kasia Kugay, an SF transplant who was raised on Eastern European and world music. The daughter of Turkish and Polish immigrants, Kugay blends her musical heritage with elements of American jazz and R&B; the resultant folk is unique and intricately crafted, well-suited to Kugay’s deeply emotive voice, which ranges in scope from clear and bright to dramatic and sultry. Influences include Joanna Newsom, Ingrid Michaelson and Bill Withers. Chicken Mama will be performing songs from her recently released EP, The Advocate. True to her earthy aesthetic and naturalist spirit, Kugay recorded the EP in an old redwood tree in Nisene Marks. KATIE SMALL

INFO: 8:30 p.m., Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $7/adv, 10/door. 479-1854.

 

THURSDAY 3/2

NEW ORLEANS/FUNK

REBIRTH BRASS BAND

There’s no shortage of fantastic brass bands in New Orleans, but the Rebirth Brass Band is a favorite among favorites. With deep grooves that don’t quit and rhythms that inspire parade-worthy rump-shaking from even the shyest of audience members, the band holds down the rich tradition of Crescent City funk and soul while its youthful exuberance introduces the sound to new generations. If you need to shake off the cobwebs or forget your worries, this Grammy-winning band will help you get it done. CAT JOHNSON

INFO: 8:30 p.m. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 479-1854.

FOLK

FERRON

To lesbians of a certain generation or two, Ferron is a beloved kindred spirit—a master poet telling stories of our shared experiences better than anyone else. But the Canadian singer-songwriter’s fanbase doesn’t end there. Ferron appeals to anyone who finds comfort in embracing life as it is; beauty, struggles and all. Over decades of making music, she’s explored the joys and pain of being an outsider, while creating a space where everyone belongs. I was afraid that last time Ferron came to town might be her final Santa Cruz performance, but, luckily she’s coming back for what promises to be a sing-along celebration of love, diversity and unity. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $27/adv, $32/door. 427-2227.

 

FRIDAY 3/3

PSYCH-FOLK

GREAT AMERICAN CANYON BAND

“Crash” sounds like a dream. It’s a potent track off Great American Canyon Band’s 2016 LP, Only You Remain. The duo, Paul and Krystal Jean Masson, who are partners in life as well as this band, sing “Don’t let me fall through, as I crash into you” in an almost hypnotic chant. The mood is tranquil yet oddly romantic, a fitting vibe to the twosome’s world-weary take on psych-Americana, with influences pulling equally from ’70s California folk-pop and middle America rustic roots rock. The band hails from Baltimore, but has spent years traveling and calling wherever its members lay their heads home for the night. The eclectic music reflects that. AARON CARNES

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

 

SATURDAY 3/4

COUNTRY GOSPEL

BIRDS OF CHICAGO

Blues-rock collective Birds of Chicago is centered around founding vocalists Allison Russell and JT Nero. The group draws heavily on gospel tradition, producing a country-twang, rock ’n’ roll secular gospel that varies from soaring and joyful to raw melancholy. Power-vocalist Allison Russell’s simmering restraint is deeply refreshing to a landscape scorched by post American Idol vocal gymnastics and over-emoting. The band is touring its sophomore album, Real Midnight, released in mid-February and recorded by Grammy award winner Joe Henry. KS

INFO: 8 p.m. Don Quixote’s, 6275 Hwy. 9, Felton. $18/adv, $20/door. 335-2800.

 

SUNDAY 3/5

ROOTS

WOOD BROTHERS

Chris and Oliver Wood grew up around folk music. With a guitar-playing father and a poet mother, the brothers were never far from the creative impulses that drive American roots music. They grew up to become musicians themselves, with bassist Chris going on to form avant-jazz-funk band Medeski, Martin and Wood, and Oliver playing guitar in bluesman Tinsley Ellis’s touring act, among other things. In 2004, they joined forces with multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix to create the Wood Brothers, a boundary-pushing roots outfit that blends blues, folk and rock to create a sound that’s at once familiar and fresh. CJ

INFO: 7 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $28.50. 423-8209.

METAL

RED FANG

Red Fang continuously gets the “stoner metal” label, but for my money, that genre tag usually refers to bands that are aggressively slow. Not so with Red Fang. These guys kick out some head-banging, heavy-blues riffs, and some sweet, soulful vocals. Forget any talk about stoner metal, and call these guys what they really are: kick-ass, fist-pumping rock ’n’ roll. Since the group formed in 2005, that’s what it’s done. Last year, the band released its fourth album, Only Ghosts. It’s got just a little bit more polish than the previous three, but it’s not short on raw power. AC

INFO: 8 p.m. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $16/adv, $18/door. 429-4135.

 

MONDAY 3/6

ACID JAZZ

RONNIE FOSTER TRIO

A brash young innovator accompanying established stars. An acid jazz patriarch introducing a new sound. A producer responsible for albums by stars like Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington, Jr. and David Sanborn. Hammond B-3 organist Ronnie Foster has ably filled all of these roles over the years, and now he’s an old-school master himself, proving he still has plenty to say. He made his mark with two early-’70s albums for Blue Note, sessions overlooked at the time but widely sampled by hip-hop artists in recent years. He went on to accompany heavyweights like Grant Green, George Benson, and Stanley Clarke. His excellent new trio features drummer Jess Gopen and well-traveled guitarist Jake Langley, who spent five years touring and recording with B3 king Joey DeFrancesco. ANDREW GILBERT

INFO: 7 p.m. Kuumbwa Jazz, 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz. $25/adv, $30/door. 427-2227.

 

TUESDAY 3/7

FOLK

DAVID FRANCEY

Torn Screen Door, David Francey’s debut record, is a nearly flawless folk record: haunting melodies, with lyrics that perfectly evoke the plight of the working poor and the heartbreak of love. It shouldn’t be too shocking that Francey went out the gate with such a fantastic album—he was 45 when it was released, and these songs had been gestating for decades. If there’s one thing that makes a folk singer great, it’s life experience. Originally from Scotland, he moved to Canada as a teenager, and spent 20 years of his adult life working in construction. Since transitioning to music, he’s become a star in folk circles, but remains relatively unknown to the rest of the world. It’s a shame. AC

INFO: 7:30 p.m. Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $18/adv, $20/door. 477-1341.

IN THE QUEUE

ADRIAN LEGG

Renowned English guitarist. Wednesday at Don Quixote’s

TREVOR HALL

Spiritual-minded singer-songwriter. Saturday at Catalyst

WILD IRIS

Local acoustic duo. Saturday at Crepe Place

JOHN JORGENSON QUINTET

Gypsy jazz led by guitarist Jorgenson. Saturday at Kuumbwa

BRAZILIAN CARNAVAL

Samba Do Rio Project, Pato Banton and more. Saturday at Moe’s Alley

Giveaway: Andre Nickatina

Cat Johnson
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Giveaway: Andre Nickatina

 

A fixture of Bay Area hip-hop since the early ’90s, Andre Nickatina launched his career as Dre Dog, releasing two albums—The New Jim Jones and I Hate You With a Passion—under that moniker. The rapper then changed his name to Andre Nickatina and proceeded to drop numerous albums, including Cocaine Raps, Tears of a Clown and Daiquiri Factory: Cocaine Raps, Vol. 2, that have secured his place as a Bay Area legend. On March 11, Nickatina heads back to Santa Cruz for his annual birthday bash.

INFO: 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 11. Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz. $23/adv, $27/door. 423-1338. WANT TO GO? Go to santacruz.com/giveaways before 11 a.m. on Monday, March 6 to find out how you could win a pair of tickets to the show.

Love Your Local Band: Isaac and the Haze

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Love Your Local Band: Isaac and the Haze

The original lineup of Isaac and the Haze didn’t have anyone named Isaac in the band—then again, it wasn’t called Isaac and the Haze yet, either. There was a lot about the band that was very different in those early days.

In its earliest, pre-gig stages, it was a throwback deep-cuts soul cover band. Then Isaac Tayrien joined the band as the lead singer, and by the time the band booked its first show as Isaac and the Haze, it had already scrapped the old soul sound for modern R&B, pop and hip-hop hits. The response has been great.

“We wanted to play what the crowd wants to hear. What people want to hear are popular songs that get people out of their chairs and on the dance floor,” says bassist Kevin Enos. “We do some Michael [Jackson], some Prince and stuff, really not going further back than that.”

They sometimes even do straight-up rap tunes—ones that have a soulful sound—or they’ll mash together a popular rap song with the original soul song they are sampling (Like Kendrick Lamar’s “I” which samples the Isley Brothers’ “Who’s That Lady”). That way, they can squeeze just a little bit of the old soul music into their set. This all started when they heard the song “Feel Right” by Mark Ronson, which features rapping by Mystikal. Enos volunteered to do the rapping.

“None of us had rapped before, other than some karaoke. I’ve been a fan of hip-hop since the ’90s. I thought I’d give it a try, and it sounded good,” Enos says.

INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, March 3. Crow’s Nest, 2218 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. $6. 476-4560.

New Water Storage Design Could Pave Way for Water-Neutral Homes

Matthew Pera
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New Water Storage Design Could Pave Way for Water-Neutral Homes

A 46,000-gallon rainwater tank made entirely of stainless steel hides behind a grove of oak trees atop the highest slope on John Haskins’ 5-acre Corralitos property. If all goes according to plan, that tank and two others will make the Haskins home water-neutral, which is why he wanted to install it after so many dry years.

This winter’s historically high rain levels, however, filled up Haskins’ new rainwater storage system quickly, and have left it consistently full. Still, these storms only reassure Haskins that he’s made a good investment as he resists temptation to call the five-year California drought over—no matter what the meteorologists say.

“Nobody predicted all this rain,” he says, noting that last year’s El Niño winter was slated to bring massive levels of rainfall to California, and didn’t. And this season, a La Niña year, was supposed to be rather dry. “Weather patterns are only becoming more unpredictable.”

The tank is 27 feet in diameter, and holds enough rainwater to supply his family of four with the water they need year-round, so long as they remain frugal with their usage and cut back on irrigation during the summer.

The Haskinses hope to eliminate their impact on Santa Cruz County’s groundwater, which has been under stress from over-pumping since the 1950s.

Last year, the family used an average of 600 gallons of water per day during the summer months and 200 gallons per day during the winter, including household use, drinking water, irrigation, and filling their living swimming pool—a chemical-free alternative to the backyard amenity.

Haskins’ property is still connected to a well, which used to be the home’s primary source of water before the rainwater catchment system was built. And with the simple flip of a lever, Haskins can still draw from the well just as easily as before.

But in theory, if the Haskinses follow through with their plan to cut back on summer water use, they should have enough rainwater in the tank to shut off flow from the well year-round, something that would help out their many neighbors.

Water in the Pajaro Valley aquifer below—the Aromas Basin—has fallen well below sea level due to decades of over-pumping, causing seawater intrusion along the coast, which could permanently contaminate the groundwater source.

Haskins almost certainly won’t ever experience seawater intrusion on his property in Corralitos, but Chris Coburn, executive director of the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County (RCD), says that drawing from any groundwater source in the county contributes to the overdraft problem. So by going off the water grid with his project, Coburn says Haskins has provided an “excellent example of what individual homeowners can do to help.”

Jack Schultz, a civil engineer with experience on what he calls “unconventional projects,” designed Haskins’ system—his second rainwater system in Santa Cruz County. Schultz hopes his design will inspire other locals to consider curbing their groundwater use by catching rainwater.  

Schultz built solar water heaters beginning in 1974 with his company, Solar Utilities, long before home solar use became popular in the United States. Since then, he’s worked on a variety of projects—from protecting creek banks from erosion in Scotts Valley and Aptos with redwood-log cribbing to repairing water systems damaged in Sumatra after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Schultz says rainwater systems designed for drinking water purposes are rare in Santa Cruz County, in part because the regulatory codes do not normally allow for them. He’s designed Haskins’ system to meet EPA requirements for water purification, which he hopes will eventually be approved for permitting in Santa Cruz County.

Regardless, the county still granted a permit to Haskins’ storage tank because his property has access to a well, and the new disinfection system is considered an addition, not the primary source of the home’s drinking water.

Schultz’s design uses three tanks, allowing for maximum capacity and purification. Rainwater that falls on Haskins’ roof runs downhill into a transfer tank and then passes through a series of filters, as it is pumped back uphill to storage and has all of the pollutants removed along the way.

The large storage tank is high on the property’s slope, allowing gravity to send the water back down to a supply tank connected directly to the home’s water pipes. On its way to the domestic supply tank, the rainwater goes through the final stages of its disinfection process.

Water districts typically disinfect municipal water with filters and chlorine, which protects against any accidental contaminants. Because Schultz’s design doesn’t use chlorine, its water runs through ultraviolet light and back into the supply tank, completely re-purifying it, about once a day.

The storage tank is also linked to a fire hydrant, and home use shuts off if the water level goes below 5,000 gallons, which gives the fire department an emergency supply in the event of a fire.

Schultz—whose son Jozseph owns India Joze restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz—thinks of Haskins as a pioneer in sustainable living, especially because the project benefits the whole basin, more than it does his own family.

 

Grounded Solutions

Another way to ease the groundwater problem is with aquifer recharge.

In October of last year, the Pajaro Valley Water District teamed up with the RCD and Andy Fisher, a professor of hydrogeology at UCSC, to launch their Recharge Net Metering program, the most recent step in a process Fisher has studied for years. The program provides financial incentive for landowners willing to retrofit their property to direct rainwater into the ground.

The five-year pilot program is the first of its kind in California, and aims to attract landowners whose properties are particularly favorable to groundwater recharge.

Qualifying landowners will provide upward of 100 acre-feet of water infiltration per year—roughly 32,600,000 gallons—and will receive a rebate from the district based on the amount they contribute. The program aims to serve as a model for future programs across the state of California.

The Scotts Valley Water District (SVWD) unveiled a groundwater strategy of its own last month, when it announced a recharge system at the Scotts Valley Transit Center.

Construction crews replaced portions of the concrete parking lot with permeable surfaces, allowing rainwater to percolate back into the Santa Margarita Aquifer, which provides drinking water to all of SVWD’s roughly 11,000 customers.

“The system is designed to add 1 to 1.5 million gallons of water to the Santa Margarita Aquifer on an average wet year,” says David McNair, the district’s operations manager who oversaw the recharge project. Construction is almost complete at the Scotts Valley Transit Center parking lot, and percolation into the groundwater store has already begun. “We’ll be monitoring it closely to see exactly how productive it will be.”

The Importance of Vitamin D, and How to Get It

Andrew Steingrube
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The Importance of Vitamin D, and How to Get It

The recent deluge of rain has filled our lakes and rivers, but has the sun-scarce streak of weather had an opposite influence on our bodies’ levels of vitamin D? Also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” because it’s produced via UV exposure on the skin, vitamin D is lacking in much of the U.S population.

“Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic,” said Dr. Michael Holick, one of the country’s leading vitamin D researchers, in a 2008 article published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. More recently, a 2011 study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that 42 percent of all Americans were deficient. Symptoms of deficiency vary and are nonspecific, including muscle weakness, bone pain, fatigue, and difficulty thinking clearly. The best way to check for a deficiency is by getting a blood test.

Since vitamin D is involved in many biological processes throughout the body—some health professionals believe it should actually be classified as a hormone—deficiency can have vast and serious health impacts. Because it promotes calcium absorption in the gut and helps maintain adequate levels in the blood, vitamin D’s most commonly accepted health impact is on bone health and associated diseases like osteoporosis.

But emerging evidence is showing that it can affect cancer risk as well. According to an article published on the National Institute of Health’s website, “Strong biological and mechanistic bases indicate that vitamin D plays a role in the prevention of colon, prostate, and breast cancers.” It is also thought to be linked to cardiovascular disease because it’s involved in immune function and reducing inflammation. The article also states that vitamin D might play a role in both the treatment and prevention of conditions like type 1 and 2 diabetes, glucose intolerance, and high blood pressure.

New evidence published in February 2017 in the journal The BMJ showed that vitamin D supplementation protected against acute respiratory infections like colds and the flu. These two conditions are not only most common in winter and spring, when vitamin D levels are usually at their lowest, but are also a leading cause of doctor visits and days off work. Said the study’s lead author, “This major collaborative research effort has yielded the first definitive evidence that vitamin D really does protect against respiratory infections.” One explanation for this effect is that vitamin D increases levels of natural antibiotic-like substances in the lungs.

Vitamin D may also play a crucial role in psychological health and well-being through its impact on serotonin. Often thought of as the “feel good” neurotransmitter, it is implicated in long-term love and companionship as well as being acted on by drugs like antidepressants, LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin. A 2015 article published in the FASEB Journal proposed a direct link between not only vitamin D, but also marine-based omega-3 fatty acids, and serotonin synthesis, release, and function in the brain. The study estimated that around 70 percent of the U.S. population has inadequate levels of vitamin D and that optimizing intake “… may help prevent and modulate the severity of brain dysfunction.”

Being that vitamin D appears so crucial to both mental and physical well-being and that so many of us aren’t getting enough of it, what do we do? For one, don’t shun the sun. A little goes a long way: Vitamin D researchers generally recommend around 15 minutes of direct unprotected sunlight two to three times a week for sufficient vitamin D production. But conditions like cloud cover, shade, and pollution can reduce UV light by around 50 percent and it does not penetrate glass. And the more melanin that’s in the skin, the less UV light that gets through, meaning that darker-skinned people may need even more sun exposure in order to meet their needs. But it can also be obtained through the diet, although its natural sources are few, including fish liver oil, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, as well as cheese and egg yolks. The best vegan source of vitamin D is mushrooms, but many foods like breakfast cereals, orange juice, milk, and yogurt are fortified with it, and supplements are also widely available.

Film Review: ‘A United Kingdom’

Lisa Jensen
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Film Review: ‘A United Kingdom’

Most of us know the story of Edward VIII, the popular King of England in 1936 who gave up his throne for love. When his proposal to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson was deemed unsuitable and forbidden by the British government, he abdicated after one year of his reign, famously declaring he could not rule “without the woman I love.”

A decade later, another “scandalous” royal marriage shocked the British Parliament, as well as its African protectorate, the Kingdom of Botswana. A young African king-to-be also chose an “unsuitable” bride, who was not only a commoner, and a foreigner, but the wrong color—a white Englishwoman. Their story, less well-known than Edward’s, is told in A United Kingdom, a timely love story for this historical moment, dealing as it does with issues of race, immigration, persistence, and revolution.

The film was directed by Anglo-African filmmaker Amma Asante; her last movie, Belle, told the story of the abolition of slavery in the British West Indian colonies through the eyes of a young black woman raised in gentility by her aristocratic English grandfather. In A United Kingdom, a similar story of political liberation—as Botswana slips out of the yoke of British colonialism—is made personal through the experiences of a protagonist with a foot in both worlds.

We first meet Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo), heir to the Kingdom of Botswana, as a university student in postwar London in 1947. The spirit of independence is in the air as Britain has just ceded its colonial rule of India. Seretse is discussing politics with his fellow African students at a dance one night when he meets Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike), who types documents at a government agency. They talk about jazz: she says she doesn’t trust Englishmen to play it. That night she goes home and looks up Botswana on a map. Next morning, he sends her a Louis Armstrong record. A romance begins.

Their relationship grows, until Seretse receives word from his uncle, acting as regent on his behalf, that it’s time to come home and assume leadership of his people. Unwilling to leave Ruth behind, he proposes marriage, and she accepts. The highest-ranking British diplomat posted to Botswana, Alistair Canning (played to oily perfection by Jack Davenport) quickly informs them the marriage is off, but Seretse and Ruth refuse to comply, and he takes her home to his kingdom.

The Brits are especially worried that Seretse’s mixed-race marriage will sour relations with their important ally, South Africa, which is just beginning to roll out apartheid, its vile program of separating the races. (“Have you no shame?” sneers Canning to Ruth.) Neither are the Africans crazy about the new white queen they consider a foreign interloper. “Were you not a king, would she even look at you?” snipes Seretse’s uncle (Vusi Kunene).

But Seretse pleads his case to the council of which he is chief, challenging his people not to judge his wife by the color of her skin—and they approve the union. Ruth, meanwhile, sets out to earn the respect of the tribal women, including Seretse’s disapproving mother, and his sister, Naledi (the fiercely beautiful Terry Pheto), who gradually becomes Ruth’s supporter and mentor.

Seretse and Ruth face many more obstacles—a period of forced separation, the looming specter of apartheid, and the evil machinations of British authorities less interested in governing Botswana than in stealing her resources. It’s a large canvas, but director Asante keeps it all comprehensible by maintaining her focus on the couple at its center. It helps that Oyelowo (who also played Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma) and Pike infuse their roles with a natural, easy rapport based on humor and affection that keeps us rooting for them.

Asante sometimes resorts to standard-issue storytelling moments—the ridiculous pomp of a British official attempting to take over leadership of the council; women rallying around Ruth with a song of admiration. But these moments are effective because the story is so compelling. And so is the prevailing idea that an individual, sticking to his or her principles, is the first step toward effective change.

A UNITED KINGDOM

*** (out of four)

With David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Jack Davenport, and Tom Felton. Written by Guy Hibbert. Directed by Amma Asante. A Fox Searchlight release. Rated PG-13. 111 minutes.

Local Coconut Yogurt Uses Proven Probiotics

Lily Stoicheff
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Local Coconut Yogurt Uses Proven Probiotics

As Santa Cruz-based Living Cultures Superfoods founder Arne Heissel explains the meticulous journey he and his wife Constanze have endured to create their Proven Probiotic Coconut Yogurt, I think to myself: leave it to the Swiss.

This yogurt is a powerhouse, a healing superfood packed with probiotics, aka living cultures that support a healthy microbiome and prebiotics, which are food for probiotics. The Heissels spent months sourcing pure coconut without shelf-stabilizing additives, which they fermented with scientifically proven strains of good gut bacteria, keeping a critical eye on taste and texture.

The result of their effort is a blend that he says, “Gives all the same benefits of a high-quality supplement in a real food.” Plus it’s free of dairy, additives, stabilizers, sweeteners, or anything else anyone may want to avoid.

But, as Heissel notes, none of this would matter if it wasn’t delicious. And it is. It’s so good. I can’t stop thinking about dipping my spoon into that luxurious, coconut-y goodness. With the thick creaminess and gentle tang of Greek yogurt and the sweet fruitiness of coconut, it’s far yummier than cow’s milk yogurt. It’s the best yogurt I’ve ever had.

Easy to love on its own, it’s also great sprinkled with cocoa nibs or fresh fruit. Heissel says some customers wait a week or so for the yogurt to naturally get tangier, and then use it like sour cream. “We’re always inspired by the creativity of how our customers use our product,” he says with a smile. Just don’t heat it up—doing so would kill the living cultures.

More than 70 percent of our immune system is in the gut, and consuming a variety of probiotic bacteria strains, like those occurring naturally in fermented foods, has been proven in multiple scientific studies to support overall health. What sets this coconut yogurt apart is that from the thousands of bacteria strains found in fermented foods, it includes only the highest quality of probiotic strains with the most proven results. While the $22 for 16 oz. price tag will shock some, Heissel insists that because just 2 oz. is enough to experience gut health support, it’s worth the nutritive value. As he puts it, “It’s either an expensive yogurt or an affordable supplement.”

A tasting will be held at Westside New Leaf on Sunday, March 4 from 2 to 5 p.m. Available at Staff of Life and Westside and Felton New Leaf Markets.

La Honda Winery, A ‘Best-Kept Secret’

Josie Cowden
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La Honda Winery, A ‘Best-Kept Secret’

Located in Redwood City, the gem that is La Honda Winery is well worth a visit. Often called “a best-kept secret,” whose clients love to surprise their guests with “uniquely charming atmosphere and delicious artisan wines,” it’s only open to the public on certain dates, as the facility is used mostly for private and corporate parties, team building, charity events, wine tastings, cooking parties, winemaker dinners, and so on. Owner and general manager David Page oversees La Honda Winery and its 50 private estate vineyards between Hillsborough and Los Gatos.

One of La Honda’s artisan wines is the 2015 Santa Cruz Mountains Sauvignon Blanc. La Honda’s winemaker, Colin McNany, got everything right in this hand-nurtured wine with delectable aromas of passionfruit, papaya, star fruit, and melon—and its citrus fruit and floral notes combine for an enticingly crisp and dry wine. On the palate, the wine has a full impact and clean fruit purity balanced by a slight minerality, says McNany, adding that this wine should be drunk now as it’s not meant for aging.

Rounding up the team at La Honda are Thayer Dunwoody, vineyard manager, and Ken Wornick, vineyard consultant, who I first met at the long-gone Vinocruz wine shop nearly a decade ago.

La Honda wines are available all over, including local New Leaf stores, Whole Foods, The Fish Lady in Soquel, Deluxe Foods in Aptos, and at restaurants such as Café Mare and Café Cruz. I bought this Sauvignon Blanc at the Summit Store in Los Gatos for about $16.

The next date La Honda is open to the public is March 18, so put that date on your calendar if you want to pay this fun place a visit. It’s a small, fast-growing winery that has won “double golds and gold galore” from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. They are also members of the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association and participate in Passport events. The next Passport is April 15, but check La Honda’s website for info.

La Honda Winery is open the third Saturday of every month from noon to 4 p.m. and for special events. Located at 2645 Fair Oaks Ave., Redwood City. 650-366-4104, lahondawinery.com.

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