I’ve lived in Santa Cruz long enough to think I’ve seen it all.

Nope.

That’s one great thing about our county: there are enough unusual and hidden spots to keep even lifelong locals surprised for life.

We called on a real-life magic man, magician Joshua Logan, to find hidden gems for our cover story, and as great as it is, there are probably still more surprises to be had. Which are your favorites? Drop us suggestions at ed****@go*******.sc.

This story not only tells me I need to get out more, it’s also like a tour guide to bring friends and family and impress them with our secrets. You can also catch a lot more tips in our summer Visitors Guide on newsstands through the summer.

One thing this shows is how connected our area still is to nature. Will that feel different with all these high rises downtown? At least there are plenty of places to escape to.

On the music front, Little Feat is returning to Santa Cruz, with one member left from the band that headlined the County Fairgrounds in 1979 with founder Lowell George and opening act Bonnie Raitt. Does anyone remember that one?

On the foodie front, you can save on a trip to Asia by getting some authentic ramen at the Hokkaido Ramen House. Back in the day, great Asian food was rare here and now we are getting some top-quality restaurants.

What’s “organic moonshine roots music”? We’ve got the story on Valerie June, a prolific Southern songwriter who plays the Rio this week.

Ready to get that summer reading list going? You may want to start with Christopher Moore’s latest New York Times best-seller, Anima Rising, his 19th novel. He’s coming to town to speak about it…a must-not-miss event.

So many people, so many cultures. This week’s Street Talk column digs into how our polyglot of people celebrate their homelands.

And finally, all I’ll say is hair color, where? You’ll have to check out the story.

Thanks for reading.

Brad Kava | Editor

PHOTO CONTEST

DOG DAY Cute pup hanging out in Capitola, eyeing the tourist canines. Photograph by Sevag Mehterian

GOOD IDEA

A different kind of protest will be held at the Santa Cruz Lighthouse at 1pm on June 21, called “Free the Chest.” It’s a chance for everyone and anyone to hang out without a top on. “Join us for a top-optional picnic at Lighthouse Point to celebrate, normalize and free the breast,” say the posters for the “All Gender Topless Sit In.”

GOOD WORK

The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County has secured a $7 million Forest Health Grant from CAL FIRE to implementan ambitious, regionally connected suite of on-the-ground forest health projects spanning public and private lands throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains.

It will support forest management on 830 acres of high-priority landscapes in a “ring” around populated areas, adding reforestation and cutting invasive species, reducing hazardous fuels, and restoring native habitats.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“A lie will travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
–Attributed to both Mark Twain
and Charles Haddon Spurgeon