Green Fix
‘Can You Dig This?’ Screening
Ron Finley was sick of seeing inordinately high rates of Type 2 diabetes, childhood obesity and high blood pressure in his community of South Central Los Angeles. So in 2010, he started planting vegetables in the small parkway next to his house, offering the produce to his neighbors for free. He was quickly faced with city citations for gardening without a permit and created a petition to fight for the right to grow food in his neighborhood. Finley won. Now, the self-proclaimed “gangsta gardener” continues to work for urban gardens as community hubs for nutritional learning and business management. His journey is featured in the film Can You Dig This?, the screening of which will be followed by a conversation.
Info: 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8. Colleges Nine and Ten Multipurpose Room, UCSC, 1156 High St., Santa Cruz. Free.
Art Seen
‘Painted Ultra-Space’ Exhibit
What’s just beneath the surface of our glossy America? Inviting us into the subconscious of someone who grew up under the influence of too much TV and advertising, Academy of Art University teacher and artist Terry Hoff is here to tell us it’s a world of dark humor and subliminal conflict. Fusing acrylic paints, spray paint, airbrush, house paint, and other combinations, Hoff creates candy-colored visions that allude to familiar imagery through a fractured, disoriented space. His exhibit at Cabrillo Gallery runs until Feb. 24.
Info: 9a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 1-Feb. 24. Library Room 1002, Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos. Free.
Friday 2/3
Hospice Volunteering Q&A
January has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean that New Year’s resolutions have to as well. Continue to support your local community by volunteering with Hospice of Santa Cruz. Learn how to support those facing the end of their life and play an important role in someone’s final days with Forbes Ellis, director of volunteer services, at this Q&A. Call for details.
Info: 9 a.m. Aptos Coffee Roasting Company, 19 Rancho Del Mar, Aptos. hospicesantacruz.org. 430-3045. Free.
Saturday 2/4
Comic Strippers Improv Comedy Show
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, so ladies, gents, and gender-nonconforming folks, feast your eyes on the sexylarious talents of Canada’s best improvisational comedians and male stripper parody maestros. Semi-undressed and completely unscripted, the Comic Strippers take both art forms to a new level. As their website says: “Women often say the most attractive thing about a man is his sense of humour—so ladies, these stripped-down comedians are sure to make your head explode.”
Info: 8 p.m. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. riotheatre.com. $25-$30.
Sunday 2/5
‘Dream Caravan: A Festival of All Things Dream’
Everybody dreams. But why? Some say that while you dream, millions of neurons are scrambling to make your life more rich and fulfilling. Whether or not we remember our dreams, research shows that dreaming helps us wake more calm and centered than when we went to sleep. Bringing dreams into consciousness can enhance a sense of well-being, which is why Deborah Johnson, local reverend and activist, will speak on the importance of “awakening the force within.” Dream practitioners will lead interactive workshop and a panel discussion will follow the keynote speaker.
Info: 2-5 p.m. Inner Light Center, 5630 Soquel Drive, Soquel. $25-$35.
Tuesday 2/7
‘Embrace’ Screening
Find one female you know that doesn’t think about her weight, appearance, or body at least a few times a day. Whether it’s the off-the-cuff remark about eating “too much” for lunch, or not having a good hair day, women are socialized to obsess over their outsides—and it affects men, too. It’s why Taryn Brumfitt created a documentary about learning to embrace all of our shapes and sizes after her 2013 before-and-after image sparked an international media frenzy. “This body of mine is not an ornament,” says Brumfitt in the film. “It’s a vehicle.”
Info: 7:30 p.m. Nickelodeon Theatre, 210 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz. gathr.us/screening/19074. $10.50.
