by Christina Waters | Jul 15, 2009 | Wine |
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]
by Christina Waters | Jul 14, 2009 | Food, Home |
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.
by Christina Waters | Jul 8, 2009 | Home |
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…)
by Christina Waters | Jul 8, 2009 | Food, Home |
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.
by Christina Waters | Jul 7, 2009 | Art, Wine |
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!
