Jeanette Fitzgearl on the love of baking, ‘Cupcake Wars’ and all things cupcake
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Cutesy Cupcakes
Dueling Agendas
Appealing cast in edgy rom-com ‘Results’
A Gathering of Scribes
Catamaran Literary Reader hosts writers conference in Pebble Beach
Golden State Psycho
Multiple-murder suspect Robert Durst, the focus of HBO’s ‘The Jinx,’ called Northern California home in the 1990s and early 2000s. Did he leave a trail of death here as well?
Storied Teller
James McMurtry’s new album Complicated Game could be one of the best Americana albums of the year
Nuclear Theater
‘Copenhagen’ comes to the new performance space at the Tannery’s Radius Gallery
No Place to Call Home
Santa Cruz tops the list for worst place to rent in the country
Mercury Direct, Neptune Retrograde, Flag Day, Pax Cultura
Thursday, June 11, Mercury is stationary direct at 4 degrees Gemini at 3:33 p.m. Pacific Time. Numbers are important, the foundation of the universe both literally and symbolically. Mercury remains in its retrograde shadow until June 27. We proceed slowly into the world during Mercury’s shadow period. Gradually we assimilate new information, the previous information organized through the retrograde. Someday humanity will understand the order and organization offered by retrogrades, when humanity awakens to the greater (heavenly timetable) realities. Now, most of humanity is learning about emotions, polarized in desire—the astral field. There is beauty, color and dappled light in the astral. However, there is much more to discover beyond the astral/emotions. There’s the mind.
Friday, early morning around midnight, Neptune turns stationary retrograde. As Gemini (Ray 2, Love/Wisdom) stations direct, Neptune (Ray 6, hope, vision) retrogrades in the great timepiece we call the heavens. Neptune begins at 10 Pisces, retrogrades to 7 Pisces, completing the retrograde November 7, Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Christ. Neptune, with its three-pronged trident, is the Christed waters (Aquarian World Teacher’s Teachings). These are the “waters of life for thirsty humanity.” Waters of the Soul, the Fifth Kingdom. Humanity is the Fourth Kingdom seeking the Fifth Kingdom, the Path of Return.
Sunday is Flag Day. Flags, unrecognized art forms, represent the spirit of the people in each nation, country and state. There is a famous “flag” by painter Nicholas Roerich representing unity through art and culture. Called the “Banner of Peace,” Roerich wrote that the cultural values within every nation and country unite humanity (Pax Cultura—Peace Through Culture). If we created a flag of our values and culture and the spirit within each of us, what would that flag look like?
STRAIGHTENING OUT DOWNTOWN, FLYOVER COUNTY
Straightening Out Downtown
Windy Oaks Estate Vineyard
I recently got together with a group of friends at Cantine Winepub in Aptos, which accommodates groups well with its spacious interior and west-facing wooden deck (with a fire pit), which makes a sunset glass of wine all the more enjoyable. Located in the heart of Aptos Village, Cantine also offers small plates of food, such as bruschetta, marinated kale salad, a cheese tray, and other tasty morsels that are perfect for sharing.
Cutesy Cupcakes
Jeanette Fitzgearl on the love of baking, ‘Cupcake Wars’ and all things cupcake Cupcakes. Is there a human alive that doesn’t at least kind of love them with their entire soul? I think not. Santa Cruz has its fair share of boutique cupcake shops, including Cutesy Cupcakes, started by a mother-daughter-grandmother team. We spoke with Jeanette...
Dueling Agendas
Appealing cast in edgy rom-com ‘Results’ If you’re not sure what’s going on, exactly, in the first few scenes of the romantic comedy Results, don’t worry. You are not alone. The story is set in the world of fitness trainers and their clients, and it takes a little while for the audience to figure out who’s...
A Gathering of Scribes
Catamaran Literary Reader hosts writers conference in Pebble Beach If you’re a writer, you know what it feels like to notice that it’s late afternoon and you’re still in your pajamas. You know how to ignore phone calls, friendships and dirty dishes to write detailed descriptions of pirate ships. You also know how to avoid the...
Golden State Psycho
Multiple-murder suspect Robert Durst, the focus of HBO’s ‘The Jinx,’ called Northern California home in the 1990s and early 2000s. Did he leave a trail of death here as well? Is evil something you are? Or is it something you do? ― Bret Easton Ellis, “American Psycho” On Dec. 19, 2000, shuttle driver Ross Vitalie, the...
Storied Teller
James McMurtry’s new album Complicated Game could be one of the best Americana albums of the year You won’t find a lot of details about James McMurtry in his songs. In fact, you won’t find any. The Austin-based singer-songwriter writes almost exclusively about fictional people he creates. “The songs are all pretty much character driven,” McMurtry...
Nuclear Theater
‘Copenhagen’ comes to the new performance space at the Tannery’s Radius Gallery Is nuclear physics sexy enough for theater? Veteran producer Brian Spencer is betting it is. Bringing Michael Frayn’s Copenhagen to the Radius Gallery-turned-theater starting June 12, Spencer has not only chosen a sophisticated play about a trio of players on the world historical stage,...
No Place to Call Home
Santa Cruz tops the list for worst place to rent in the country Here’s how bad the housing market has gotten in Santa Cruz: for $350 a month you can rent a cot in the kitchen area of a tiny downtown studio. The Craigslist ad for what may be the most affordable “room” in the county...
Mercury Direct, Neptune Retrograde, Flag Day, Pax Cultura
Thursday, June 11, Mercury is stationary direct at 4 degrees Gemini at 3:33 p.m. Pacific Time. Numbers are important, the foundation of the universe both literally and symbolically. Mercury remains in its retrograde shadow until June 27. We proceed slowly into the world during Mercury’s shadow period. Gradually we assimilate new information, the previous information organized through the...
STRAIGHTENING OUT DOWNTOWN, FLYOVER COUNTY
Straightening Out Downtown There are a couple of problems with downtown Santa Cruz. One is finding it. Another is finding your way around once you get there. For years, the city has looked at solving these problems with signs to direct tourists heading to the Boardwalk toward the boutique retail and high-quality restaurants on Pacific Avenue,...
Windy Oaks Estate Vineyard
I recently got together with a group of friends at Cantine Winepub in Aptos, which accommodates groups well with its spacious interior and west-facing wooden deck (with a fire pit), which makes a sunset glass of wine all the more enjoyable. Located in the heart of Aptos Village, Cantine also offers small plates of food, such as bruschetta, marinated...