Christina Waters

Dear Westside community partners in the natural food game: I love New Leaf. I love the very idea of New Leaf. But since expansion into the Big Store, the delivery system seems to have bogged down.

Sandwiches are now made in slow motion, even at the obviously busy lunch hour. By individuals who appear never to have seen a loaf of bread. Tuna sandwiches are laboriously constructed as if working from blueprints printed in Latvian. Same thing at check out.

Even during peak hours, there are few check out folks on duty. And - forgive me - they are slow. Often they stop in the middle - the middle! - of a transaction and chat with other checkers. Or leave the checkout lane entirely and go off on a mission of mercy for another patron. Well-meaning, but unclear on the concept.

I urge New Leaf management to spend more time on staff training. Thank you.

Your friend,

Christina

Gabriella Cafe. Lunch for four. After we ordered, our host Paul Cocking came by with a few small plates for us to try until our halibut and opal basil salads, kampachi crudo, and gnocchi Bolognese arrived.

Olives in oil with a branch of thyme. Chef Brad Briske’s fresh pickles - cippolinis, Armenian cucumbers and celery(r.). Beautiful food that tasted as good as……

Calm down, I’m talking about a full-bodied frozen yogurt creation — the Gizmo – that combines dense barely sweet frozen yogurt plus your choice of fruit — and turns it into enlightened soft serve creamy dessert. I am (but you probably guessed this already) referring to the possibilities available at the new Yogizmo Yogurt Co. store - located in the Avanti region of Mission Street.

The latest Yogizmo shop just opened here on the Westside, and I stumbled into it on a hot afternoon and found immediately cool comfort in the form of a blueberry Gizmo for $3.35. Dense, tangy, well, just check it out for yourself.

You can also sample abundant Marianne’s (more…)

This Saturday, July 18, from 11-5pm, take advantage of the Summer Passport winetasting trek through the vineyards and cellars and tasting rooms of 50 Santa Cruz Mountain wineries.

Alfaro’s Family Vineyard, in pastoral Corralitos, is only one of the stops you can visit - the $40 tasting passport gives you access to all the wineries, on all four Passport weekends throughout the year.

The Passport - unlike the one issued by the US government - never expires. And this is a great opportunity to visit small, artisanal wineries, such as Windy Oaks, that are rarely open except by appointment. Visit the SCMWA website for full details. [photo by PattyHinzImagery.com]

Restless Lulu Carpenters entrepreneur Manthri Srinath emailed to tell me that his empire now stretches from Scotts Valley, through downtown Santa Cruz and over to….Capitola!

Caffeine enabler Srinath has installed all the sensitive and jolting coffee drinks and pastries we’ve come to demand of Lulu’s at the long, cozy coffee bar of Capitola Book Cafe. This is very good news to discerning coffee fanatics who love great books. Okay, and summer beach books too.

“We’re open 6am-10pm Mon-Fri, 7am-10pm Saturday, and 7am-8pm Sunday,” explains Srinath. “The bookstore still opens at 9am, but us coffee people like to start early.” I’ll drink to that.

Yet another reason to stop by Capitola Book Cafe - in the 41st Avenue & Capitola Road vortex, next to the 41st Avenue Cinema.

Katya and I decided to take a preliminary probe of the newly-opened Aquarius, overlooking the main Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk in the newly buffed Dream Inn.

Felt good. Surfboards lining the ceiling of the lounge — witty (or silly, depending upon your POV). The excellent wine list offers many local vintage experiences, and the dinner menu also looked promising. Aquarius, sleek and urban with unmatched views of Steamers, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner — continuously! — from 7am until “closing,” i.e. late.

Armed with something in the key of 2006 pinot noir from Monterey made by Samantha Starr, I split a lovely $8 appetizer mezze plate of tzatziki (yeow!), freshly-made tapenade and garlicky hummus, served with warm pita wedges. (more…)

The Farm Cart is back at the foot of the UCSC campus, every Tuesday and Friday, and it’s loaded with crisp greens, long-stemmed cippolini onions, herbs, flowers and berries.

Ah, the blueberries and strawberries have been especially wonderful this year. Maybe it’s the drought, but the flavors this year are notably intensified, distilled, utterly childhood revisited.

Stop by from noon to 6pm, Tuesday and Friday, and get something truly fresh for your dinner. Everything is grown just up the hill at the Center for Agroecology‘s organic farm.

Once again the Museum of Art & History in downtown Santa Cruz hosts an alfresco event devoted entirely to al fresco artwork. The juried selection of 25 of the area’s top plein air painters — including several from beyond the Monterey Bay region— will be on hand this coming weekend to show, sell and demonstrate their expertise with the colors and forms, light and atmosphere of paintings made outside the studio. Yes it is the positively all-new Plein Air Affair.

The moody landscapes created by Andrew Purchin (Pogonip Path shown here) are included in the substantial show, which will fill the courtyard between Vinocruz and Lulu Carpenter’s from 11am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12. In addition to vibrant artworks by Charles Prentiss, Jennie McDade, Brian Rounds, Frank Galuszka and many others, plan on plenty of live music and refreshments throughout the weekend. And as a terrific bonus, you’ll also find Vine Hill winemaker Sal Godinez pouring his award-winning pinot noirs at the oh-so-conveniently-located Vinocruz, from 3-5pm, on Sat, July 11. All the more reason to add this downtown hot spot to your weekend calendar.

Full details on this year’s Plein Air weekend are available at the MAH website. Be there!

Muriel and Michel of Au Midi invite all of their friends and patrons to come to the great French summer fest known as Bastille Day — Tuesday, July 14th, naturellement!

The intimate Aptos bistro will be open that evening by reservation only, for a limited seating of French food, music and ambience. The holiday menu includes chilled gazpacho, paella Provençal, and fig tart — for a special prix fixe of $25 per person (tax & tip not included).

Allons enfants de la Patrie!

Au Midi is located at 7960 Soquel Drive (behind the Aptos Cinema). 831-685-2600

Summer solstice.

Chilled sauvignon blanc, cucumbers in hummus, flame grapes, crackers and a selection of robust and intriguing cheeses. How lucky of me to have a friend whose greenhouse balcony provided all of the above — a friend whose hedonistic instincts are exceeded only by her impeccable taste.

Thinking outside the usual Stonehenge or Tikal cliché —I think a summer ritual has been born.