EDITOR’S NOTE
I guess we can have some nice things in 2020 after all, because Santa Cruz Restaurant Week is back! It wasn’t a sure thing, believe me, but I see it as local restaurants and GT taking a stand for a little normalcy—and for the community’s dining scene, which has been devastated by the pandemic. We have made some changes to our annual event—for which all the participants will feature a special prix-fixe menu beginning today and running through next Wednesday, Oct. 28—like a takeout option (you can read about all the particulars in our pullout section in this issue, and at santacruzrestaurantweek.com). But despite the changes, I found I get a lot of comfort just flipping through this issue and reading the quotes from locals chefs and restaurateurs talking about what they love to do, and feeling the excitement of an actual dining event. Every year, this issue makes me hungry; this year, it makes me feel better about life in general.
Also, I want to remind you that our election coverage continues on our website goodtimes.sc. This week we’ll have a closer look at all the state propositions, so if you’re still undecided on some of the many complex measures on the ballot, let us help you sort them out. Meanwhile, hope to see you on a patio for some SCRW dining this week!
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Read the latest letters to the editor here.
Rebuild With Equity
My heart sank as I walked by two shuttered, beloved locally-owned businesses, apparently ravaged by the pandemic: Buttercup Cakes and Bad Animal bookshop. I thought about 99 Bottles, Poet and Patriot, Nourish, also closed in the heart of Santa Cruz. I fear community businesses will be replaced by cookie-cutter chains, losing not only our character, but also revenue—local ownership circulates three to four times more money.
Employee ownership has proven adaptive, resilient and a valuable resource for preserving Covid-challenged businesses. Last year, Santa Cruz City Council approved a resolution affirming support for “the development and growth of worker cooperatives throughout the region,” declaring the month of October Cooperative month. The Main Street Employee Ownership Act —national legislation spotlighting worker cooperatives—also took effect, facilitating funding sources, mandating that SBA actively engage.
Let’s rebuild—with equity—through employee ownership. Oakland-based Project Equity offers free consultations and has available masterful webinars that can point the way and identify funding sources.
Sheila Carrillo | Santa Cruz
Leopold’s Agenda
Re: Voter Guide (GT, 10/14): As a business owner in Pleasure Point for the past 25 years I have worked with many local government agencies and representatives to improve our business community. No person has been more helpful than John Leopold, especially these past six months through the shelter-in-place. John has worked tirelessly to help local merchants find ways to survive. He is the most approachable county supervisor I have ever known. He has provided our business community with the most up-to-date information regarding Covid restrictions from the local and state level. When our services could no longer be offered in our studio John helped pave the way for free county permits to be issued so our business could continue running curbside. It is no secret that John Leopold has an agenda: to build, support, and nurture Santa Cruz County. I endorse John Leopold for County Supervisor.
Rocky Snyder | Santa Cruz
No on Prop. 22
Why are Uber and Lyft spending $100,000,000.00 to pass Proposition 22? They would rather spend that kind of money to continue to exploit their drivers who they refuse to acknowledge work for them. AB5, passed by the Legislature, declared that those who drive for Lyft and Uber—as well as thousands of other workers—are entitled to benefits such as unemployment insurance and workers compensation if they are hurt while working. These app companies would rather have the burden of providing these benefits fall on the taxpayer and not on them.
Their claims of wanting to help their drivers is disingenuous. Drivers can be employees entitled to benefits like all other employees and still maintain flexibilities in their schedules.
Years ago, farmworkers were denied standard benefits that were provided to most workers, but we ended that discrimination in California. Let’s not let the billionaires at Lyft and Uber continue to exploit many of our most vulnerable Californians.
Also, keep in mind that their business model calls for these drivers to be eventually replaced by self-driving cars, thus putting them out of work anyway.
Gil Stein | Aptos
PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
The Original Paint Nite: Unleash your inner artist
YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS FOR THIS EVENT:
– CANVAS (*SIZE OPTIONAL)
– ACRYLIC PAINT or your favorite medium (2 oz minimum per color) Blue, Yellow, Red, Black, and White
– PAINT BRUSHES (Reccomended Short Handle Value Pack brush set from Walmart, Michael's, or your favorite craft store. Make sure you have a veritty of brush sizes)
– WATER CUP (10oz tap water)
– PAINT PALETTE OR A COATED PAPER PLATE
– PAPER TOWEL/NAPKIN
– APRON or OLD CLOTHES
– TABLE TOP EASEL (*Optional)
-TABLE COVER (*Optional)
Event will be held on ZOOM.US Please check your email the day of the event for your webinar invite and instructions. Please login 15 minutes in advace so that you are ready to go at showtime.
Canvas Optional Size – Canvases come in many different sizes. From thumb nail to the size of a wall. Canvases are either streched to a frame or come with a cardboard backing. You can use almost any surface to paint on, canvas, wood, plastic, glass, the options are unlimited. The artist will be instructing on a 16×20 stretched canvas.
Table Top Easle Optional – Although painting on an easle is reccomended, it is not always necessary. If you do not have a table top or standing easle, don't stress. You can also work flat on a table and stand to make sure your image is not distorted or pile up a couple of books/shoe boxes to raise the canves to see what you are doing.
Paint – Artist will be using student level/grade acrylic paint.
The Original Paint Nite: Unleash your inner artist
YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS FOR THIS EVENT:
– CANVAS (*SIZE OPTIONAL)
– ACRYLIC PAINT or your favorite medium (2 oz minimum per color) Blue, Yellow, Red, Black, and White
– PAINT BRUSHES (Reccomended Short Handle Value Pack brush set from Walmart, Michael's, or your favorite craft store. Make sure you have a veritty of brush sizes)
– WATER CUP (10oz tap water)
– PAINT PALETTE OR A COATED PAPER PLATE
– PAPER TOWEL/NAPKIN
– APRON or OLD CLOTHES
– TABLE TOP EASEL (*Optional)
-TABLE COVER (*Optional)
Event will be held on ZOOM.US Please check your email the day of the event for your webinar invite and instructions. Please login 15 minutes in advace so that you are ready to go at showtime.
Canvas Optional Size – Canvases come in many different sizes. From thumb nail to the size of a wall. Canvases are either streched to a frame or come with a cardboard backing. You can use almost any surface to paint on, canvas, wood, plastic, glass, the options are unlimited. The artist will be instructing on a 16×20 stretched canvas.
Table Top Easle Optional – Although painting on an easle is reccomended, it is not always necessary. If you do not have a table top or standing easle, don't stress. You can also work flat on a table and stand to make sure your image is not distorted or pile up a couple of books/shoe boxes to raise the canves to see what you are doing.
Paint – Artist will be using student level/grade acrylic paint.
(10258166)
Grab the kids and unleash your inner artist at the Original Paint Nite. You’ll all go from a blank canvas to a masterpiece of your own, with plenty of laughs along the way.
You’ll be guided by a talented and entertaining artist, who will:
- bring all the supplies and set you and your group up with canvases, paints, and brushes
- lead you through step-by-step process to paint “Milky way at the Pines”
- entertain and delight your group and make it a memorable experience!
You and the kids will love what your create, and how much fun you have doing it. No experience needed. Come early and grab some snacks!
Please Note:
- This event is for children ages 6 and up
- Each child must be accompanied by an adult
- Every attendee(child and adult) need a ticket
Looking for something besides Plant? At Yaymaker, we do a lot more than Plant Nite and Family Events. Check out some of our other experiences like Paint Nite and Candle Making. For all of our events check out: www.yaymaker.com
Submit to [email protected]. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.
GOOD IDEA
JUST IN TRACE
In anticipation of people wanting to gather for the holiday season, the California Department of Public Health issued new guidance on private gatherings during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The state guidelines allow for people from no more than three households to gather. The state says the host should collect names of all attendees in case the list is needed for contact tracing, should anyone from the gathering test positive for Covid-19. Learn more at cdph.ca.gov/covid19.
GOOD WORK
REAL DEAL
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty’s podcast “An Honorable Profession”—created jointly with the local government network NEWDeal—is going strong. For the 51st episode, NEWDeal CEO Debbie Cox Bultan turned the tables and interviewed Coonerty himself. In the Oct. 8 episode, Coonerty opened up about his Santa Cruz High School years, the power behind national monuments, his new project on anti-Semitism and how a Johnny Cash song changed his life.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“People who love to eat are always the best people.”
-Julia Child
