Honk if you’re hungry.
Starting this week (April 26), Food Truck Fridays rolls back to Skypark in Scotts Valley for its monthly roundabout of foodie-friendly trucks, local beer and wine, kids diversions, live music and more every final Friday of the month, through Oct. 25.
This installment’s participating vittles vehicles include Kuki’s Bowl, Epoch Eats, Taquizas Gabriel, Mattia Pizza, Pesce Veggie and Aunt LaLi’s Ice Cream.
That comes complemented by Brenda’s Face Painting; eclectic rock, blues and R&B covers by Identity Problem; and a beer and wine garden that channels proceeds to nonprofit Scotts Valley Educational Foundation.
Teresa and Josh Swart took over Food Trucks a Go Go last summer, which makes 2024 their first full year as the event’s organizers. In addition to the dog-friendly FTF monthly series, the Swarts also steer the Aunt Lali’s truck—soon to be the more snack-focused Uncle Josh’s Rollin Snack Shack (with all the LaLi’s ice cream goodies)—and Taco Tuesdays 5-8pm every second Tuesday, also at Skypark through October, featuring taco trucks and the charity-boosting adult beverage zone.
“We are thrilled to continue the tradition of community events,” Josh says, “supporting small businesses, fundraising for local organizations and creating fun times.”
Teresa adds that the vibe is less festival and more “small town.”
“Everyone comes out with friends and family and kids and pets, dancing, eating food, meeting your friends and making new ones in a park on a Friday night,” she says. “A lot of dancing. It’s super fun bringing people together.”
RE-DEBUT + ADIEUS
On the heels of last week’s column on openings and closures, more where that came from: Humble Sea Tavern in Felton (6256 Highway 9) is back open with S.C. Bread Boy doing the food Friday 4pm until sell out and Saturday-Sunday noon until the goods are gone.
The organic wonderland Whiskey Hills Farm in Watsonville (371 Calabasas Road) is currently on the market for $6.95 million.
And Cafe Sparrow in Aptos Village (8042 Soquel Drive) has announced it will fold its wings after the last morsels of sous vide artichoke, braised rabbit and calamari piccata are served on April 28.
POURING IT ON
A double-barreled dose of popular—and roving—local wine events materialize on the same weekend in May, which means planning and/or ticket buying would be wise right about now. Santa Cruz Mountains Passport Days (May 18) invites ticket holders to adventure from winery to winery to enjoy tasting flights, and also extends access to exclusive events and discounts throughout the rest of the year. Integrity, Inversion, Left Bend, La Honda, Muns, Martin Ranch, Saison, Storrs, and dozens more participate.
A day later, the Downtown Santa Cruz Spring Wine Walk (May 19) pairs local wineries with the district’s boutiques and other businesses, who throw open their doors for stroll-sip-stroll connectivity.
TURBO TASTES
After 20 years at Lot 4 on Cedar Street, the adored Wednesday downtown Santa Cruz Community Farmers Market has to find a new home, and seeks community thoughts on where might be good, with a survey that’s open through today, April 24, via santacruzfarmersmarket.org. … California Roots Music and Arts Festival cometh May 24-26 across Monterey Bay, with a lot of great food to pair with world-class roots, reggae and hip hop headliners, californiarootsfestival.com. … A restaurant named Al Condominio in Verona, Italy, the setting for Romeo & Juliet, has done something to love, even more than I love taking food photos: Diners who turn over their phone get a bottle of wine…Arrivederci.
