From digital-free teahouses, massage rooms and spas to serene redwood forests and beaches, opportunities for relaxation and pampering are plentiful in Santa Cruz. But spending a blissful hour in the reclining leather chair of Christine Nickell of Botanical Reflexology is an experience in total-body relaxation like no other. A certified essential oil therapist and certified…
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Can You Escape from Exit Santa Cruz?
I am part of an “elite 20 percent,” Steven Cleek tells me. Unfortunately, he’s being ironic. About 80 percent of the people who play the games at Santa Cruz’s new escape room Exit Santa Cruz solve all the puzzles and unlock the door at the end to make their escape, he says. My group was…
Insider’s Guide: Santa Cruz Cultural Tourism
Any Santa Cruz guide book can lead you to the redwoods or the beaches or the Boardwalk—and certainly, you should go to all three. But “cultural tourism” is all the rage, and Santa Cruz has an incredible culture to tour. Here are a few ways to add some depth to your Santa Cruz culture experience:…
When Will Canned Beer Explode?
Four years ago, the writing was on the wall for beer bottles. Everyone from NPR to Business Insider was covering the environmental benefits and convenience of beer in cans. And that, as opposed to glass bottles, aluminum prevents any light whatsoever from getting through and damaging delicious libations. Local breweries like Discretion and Santa Cruz…
Spice of Life: Cooking with Spices
If Jozseph Schultz had to choose a favorite spice, it would probably be sumac. At least on this particular Tuesday evening, just before the dinner rush at India Joze. The metallic chime of kitchen gadgets follows the chef as he jumps up and disappears into the kitchen, returning with a tiny white dish. At its…
Mexican Fusion Takes Off in Santa Cruz
There was a time—baby boomers might remember it—when the introduction of a Mexican TV dinner revolutionized North American food choices. Well, maybe not revolutionized, but certainly expanded. And it wasn’t long after, in 1962, that an L.A. entrepreneur named Glen Bell started up a fast food idea called Taco Bell. Neutered of full salsa sexuality,…
Renee Shepherd Explains How To Grow Vegetables and Herbs From Seed
The seed packets from Renee’s Garden—marked with their characteristic watercolor illustrations and descriptive, owner-tested growing instructions—can be found in independent nurseries and garden centers across the country. But it all began here, in the mid-’80s, on Renee Shepherd’s sandy-soiled Felton property. “A thousand years ago, in the mid-’80s, this used to be just a big…
6 New Releases from Santa Cruz Mountain Wineries
As the year rolls on, new releases from our beautiful local wineries are rolling out. Here are some of the best: Windy Oaks 2015 Rosé, Monterey: Named “Bastide La Combe” after a lovely guesthouse where Windy Oaks proprietors Judy and Jim Schultze stay in Provence, one sip of this blush beauty takes me straight…
Santa Cruz Food Events 2017
A calendar of the most enticing Santa Cruz food events and festivals May 19-21 — Santa Cruz Greek Festivals Ever just get a hankering for all things Greek? Surprisingly, Santa Cruz has got a pretty great Greek game. For the immediate hunger there’s the 10th Annual Greek Food Faire on May 19-21—three glorious days of…
How to Prepare Your Yard for Mosquito Season
This winter’s heavy rains mean more potential breeding spots for mosquitoes, which is why Santa Cruz County Mosquito and Vector Control (MVC) is putting locals on high alert for the spring and summer months. Keeping mosquitoes out of your yard is always a good idea—besides their itchy bites and annoying buzz, they can carry West…
