Christina Waters

Wondering what to have with that grilled lamb burger? Wonder no more. Help is available in the form of Gatos Locos 2005 Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah. Big, but not too big (13.8% alc.), spicy but not whimsical, this luscious red wine offers a center of leather and plums. Part of the sumptuous line of Wines of Vine Hill, it’s available at Shoppers for $19.95, or up at the Vine Hill winery — worth the spectacular drive up behind Branciforte — it tastes even better on Day Three (though it probably won’t last that long).

My new favorite light dinner - three fat, perfectly cooked scallops sitting on a bed of crunchy, roasted cauliflower. The sauce? A dazzling sweet-&-salty puree of raisins and capers. For $13, it’s an affordable luxury. Add a Gruner Veltliner and find yourself smiling despite the economy.

Soif - 105 Walnut in Santa Cruz.

Too long, too cluttered, too disconnected — The Dark Knight contains one artistic masterpiece. The uncanny, ultra-vibrant performance by Heath Ledger. In his feverish hands, the Joker is one of the genuinely original creations of cinema history – and yes, I have to admit, it is such an exciting, smart creation, that it justifies sitting through one of the worst-written, least comprehensible exercises in directorial egomania I can recall. Let’s just say that Dark Knight ain’t Ironman, which still retains its title as champion adult comix film in recent memory.

But back to Ledger’s performance. I was ready for over-the-top. I expected darkly probing criminal psychology writ large. But nothing prepared me to be blown away by such an intelligent collection of acting choices — choices which, sadly, indicate just how high Ledger might have soared, had he lived.

Watching the portrayal of the cocky, quirky, brilliant madman/villain, I found myself rummaging through my film memory banks. Where had I seen some of those gestures? heard that insistent cackling voice, that nuanced, soaring derangement translated into highly specific bodily gestures? Here’s what I came up with. Think about tasting a great wine, all the different elements, the spatial range and movement of flavors from front to back of the palate. Okay.

The edgy stabbing hands and shoulders are pure (more…)

At Hollins House. Last Monday. Monterey Bay Wine Company trade tasting. I expected a full dance card of amazing wines, but I wasn’t fully prepared for the spectacular appetizer display thrown by the chefs of Hollins House — which has got to own the finest view of the Monterey Bay available.

Here’s a sample — two-fisted, yet somehow petite, ham on francese creations with spicy pickled peppers on top. A wildly successful combination of very happy flavors.

Wines? Well, I’ll be posting more later on this palate-pushing event, but let me just give you one word for now: Alfaro.

Moss doesn’t grow on Lou Caviglia, who lies awake at night dreaming up ever more tantalizing deals-of-the-century. My friend Susan adores the Martini Dinner specials at Clouds, and she showed me why last week when four of us lived large for very little $$$ at the downtown Santa Cruz watering hole.

Here’s the deal: Clouds offers a long list of specialty martinis, to which you add your choice of light dinner entree. The result? A stiff drink, a delicious dinner and a price tag you can live with. Here’s an example. I don’t like martinis adulterated with fruit, flavorings or sauces. I like mine straight up and pure, i.e. cold gin in a glass.

So I ordered a Tanqueray martini with a dinner order of California roll sushi (see above). The price? $10.95. That’s what you might expect to pay for a martini alone. Are you liking this? I thought so. On the other end of the martini/dinner scale, Susan’s latest boyfriend Rich ordered his drink with a New York steak. Pricetag? $18.95. That’s for a drink and a steak. I don’t know, it sells itself. (more…)

If Obama’s name was “Lester,” none of this would be happening.

Since the “peace candidate” has announced that we should be sending more troops to Afghanistan, I figure it’s time to party like there’s no tomorrow.

And to help, here’s a new organic, luxurious butter from the nice folks of Clover. Ultra-creamy European-style, seasoned with sea salt, and on your morning multi-grain toast, it’s fabulous. Weighing in at 8oz and just under $5, it’s shameless indulgence of the sort that our forebears rubbed all over themselves during the plague years. From where I sit, now would be a good time to do likewise. At Shoppers & New Leaf.

Yes, I know. Many of you ran out to Shoppers to find this extraordinary frozen sin and it was all gone. Here’s why. My original source, gourmet realtor Dee Vogel, confessed. She kept buying tub after tub of this Ciao Bella gelato, and has by her own admission taken on ballast from eating so much of it.

However - here’s the good news. Ciao Bella Fresh Mint gelato is currently available at Deluxe. If you need to keep up with the very best in high-calorie creamy desserts, then you know what to do. Frankly, it’s an amazing combination of flavors — intensely creamy vanilla gelato, nuggets of dark chocolate, perfume of fresh mint. Mmmmmm.

Last weekend’s Plein Air Affaire event at Santa Cruz’ Museum of Art and History attracted thousands of visitors, and made even more thousands of dollars for the downtown arts venue.

The invited artists included some of the Bay Area’s leading outdoor and impressionistic painters, including the legendary Howard Ikemoto, Peter Loftus, Charles Prentiss, Barbara Lawrence, Mike Bailey, and Frank Galuszka. The artwork displayed was striking, beautiful, and of noticeably higher quality that what many have come to expect from plein air shows.

Galuszka, whose day job is professor of art at UCSC, won the “QuickDraw” prize for his atmospheric egg tempera study, Sun and Fog: View over Monterey Bay, (r.) painted on Sunday morning before the public viewing.

If you missed this summer’s Plein Air Affaire, make plans to visit next year at MAH. Alfresco artwork never looked so good. The Museum of Art & History is located at 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz (next door to the new Lulu’s).

By now you’ve already finished up your romance with English peas and have moved on to peaches and chiogga beets. We’ve been enjoying the strawberries and tender baby greens — both wild and cultivated — offered by the Farm Cart at UCSC.

Tuesdays and Fridays, the fresh harvest is loaded this time of year with all manner of onions and garlic, leafy greens, blueberries and plums, herbs and beautiful old-fashioned bouquets. Everything is organic, sold by the young growers of the Agroecology apprentice program and utterly delicious. Even if you think you only need spinach for dinner, the seasonal produce might surprise you. Stretch your palate - try some intriguing item you’ve never had before. Tuesday and Fridays, at the corner of High and Empire Grade, noon - 6pm.