When I got hired by the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 2008, it was obvious La Bahia’s “best days” were behind it. And yet it was exactly that decomposition, with winding pathways through pungent blooming magnolias, that imbued the physical space with magical charm.
The Cotoni lived here. The Cotoni people were here for over ten thousand years—they really had it made. Then it ended with the arrival of the Spanish. And here we are.
For over 30 years, the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium hasn’t broken even, yet it holds generations of Santa Cruz memories. An investigation into the numbers, the missed opportunities, and the fight to bring it back from the brink.
We set out to responsibly taste test the trendiest new crop of canned, boxed, balled and otherwise contained cocktails. These are the results of our experiences.
