by Christina Waters | Apr 7, 2007 | Home |
Outside Blake’s Window, directed by Tandy Beal, with music by Jon Scoville, opens April 12-15 in Salt Lake City on the elegant Repertory Dance Theatre at the new Jeanne Wagner Theatre. Original cast members from Santa Cruz, (Paula Bliss, singer, Rock Lerum, fire juggler, Ronn Reinberg, technical consultant, Ellen Sevy, rehearsal director and Erik Stern as Blake) join the Company. Also joining the cast is Aloysia Gavre (long time Cirque du Soleil aerialist) who began her circus work in the Pickles under Tandy’s direction.
by Christina Waters | Apr 6, 2007 | Holidays |
Here’s what happened at our breakfast table this Easter weekend — an explosion of chicks hatched out of one of our soft boiled eggs! Egg-xactly.
by Christina Waters | Apr 3, 2007 | Food, Home |
Thank God! After years of waiting for something more like the Westside’s old Aldo’s Cafe (brainchild of the original Sestri chef), our waiting is over. Bistro Al Mar specializes in tapas so authentically Old World we thought we were in Madrid last week, sharing a little teaser of fava beans and diced feta, washed down with Spanish white wine.
In the place of the former Xin noodle shop (841 Almar, at the end of the Almar Center strip), Bistro Al Mar has a lively menu wandering the Mediterranean waterfront from Marseilles and Nice, to Genoa and Barcelona. There are even a few North African dishes on offer. The place looks smart, with sensuous fedo and Catalan pop music in the background, and a simple long lace curtain adding privacy to the central dining room. Open for dinners Tuesday – Sunday, Al Mar is already attracting inquiring grazers who like the low prices and sexy menu. I also liked the service — smart and on-the-ball, our server offered to pour samples of wines when we weren’t sure what we wanted. That’s always a sound restaurant practice.
We began our small courses with a large plate of outstanding Catalan semi-dry garlic and pepper sausage “Fuet de Vic” ($7), and a $2 basket of “unlimited refills” focaccia. Yes, Al Mar has your number. 
A country Rusa potato salad, mixed with peas, carrots, tuna, egg, red peppers and capers in an aioli dressing arrived in a glazed pottery ramikin ($7), and my trio of grilled baby lamb chaps, done rare — perfect lamb is always very pink, as far as I’m concerned — came on a generous sea of Tuscan white beans and topped with a fresh sprig of sage ($11). This was a knock-out! Joined by a glass of Ridge Three Valleys Zinfandel 2004, this was a meal to get out of bed for. You know what I mean.
We plan to work our way, slowly and with relish, through the entire Bistro Al Mar menu. See you there!
by Christina Waters | Apr 3, 2007 | Home |
For those of you who’ve been emailing me, the answer is Woodstock’s Pizza, Inc. That’s what’s going in to the old Erik’s Deli space on Front Street. . . . And hold the April 22 date: Santa Cruz’ own irrepressible, culinary performance artist Jozseph Schultz is wok’ing on the wild side again. This time it’s a reinvention of the benefit dinner involving aerial choreography, Persian New Year’s festivities — and authentic cuisine thanks to ethnographer-chef Schultz (the co-founder of India Joze restaurant for SC newbees), to be held at the bohemian 418 Front Street. The benefit bit is to save the luscious old hardwood floors in the alternative arts space.
You’ll be hearing more from me on the Persian New Year extravaganza, but for now save up $50-$75 per, for tickets and that date again is April 22. Find out more about Gail Rich awardee Schultz, at www.indiajoze.com and learn about the 418 concept at www.the418.org.
by Christina Waters | Apr 3, 2007 | Home |
will be open by the time you read this! So rush out and take a look at the wrap-around banquettes, the central espresso hearth and the spiffy revival of Santa Cruz’ original, old Hall of Records building, corner of Cooper & Front Streets. The new Lulu’s will be the perfect place to wait for those DNA test results from the Bahamas.
