Clever idea, having a zip code for a wine label. That’s just what Terroir 95470 is, a spin-off 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Redwood Valley, produced by Chance Creek Vineyard. A lovely creation weighing in at a perfect 13.5 percent alcohol and made from organic grapes, this is an astonishing bit of oeno-expertise for a mere $8.99 a bottle (thank you, New Leaf).
News
Nick Gallant Uncovered
Last week, video game publisher Activision announced that it’s bringing down the ax on the Guitar Hero series. For the gaming world, it’s the end of an era—in six short years, the original Guitar Hero and its many sequels became the third-largest video game franchise in history. They revolutionized the very notion of what hit video games could be, turning color-coded button-pushing into a rock-star fantasy for the 21st century and selling 25 million games in the process.
PLATED: Meat of The Matter
Butcher Chris LaVeque—posing above with his lipstick-red vintage saw—and crew are putting the finishing touches on the gleaming interior of El Salchichero, slated to burst forth with handcrafted charcuterie next Friday, Feb. 11. Vowing to cater to “all your meat needs,” sausage maestro LaVeque revealed his starting line-up. “Fresh and smoked sausages, all seasonal.
The Defender: Jackson Browne’s Anti-Plastic Campaign
The ocean may seem endless, but plastic is forever. So appears the world to singer and songwriter Jackson Browne, who, while gearing up for a tour that kicks off Feb. 23 at the Civic Auditorium, has keyed in aggressively to one of the most urgent environmental issues that our planet faces: plastic contamination.
Libraries Spared … for Now
At a meeting Monday night of the Joint Powers Board of the city-county library system, the panel voted unanimously to postpone a vote on closing libraries until more information could be collected. Prior to the vote, the board was divided over whether to shut down local branches in order to cover a $6 million deficit. They also noted that they were responding to extensive community opposition to the proposed closures. Of the 42 speakers at last night’s public meeting, only two board members supported closing branches: the author of the proposal and an employee who faces salary cuts or even potential job loss. Most library employees favor closing some branches.
Where Are the Records?
Californians Aware is a nonprofit agency that audits state agencies to determine how well they respond to requests for public records. It recently audited universities throughout the state and gave a failing grade to the UC system, noting the particularly poor response from UC-Santa Cruz. UCSC received a 40 out of a possible 100 points, which is a fail by any standard. In contrast, San Jose State University received an A+. CSU schools averaged an 86, while UC schools averaged a 46, with UC Berkeley coming in on top with a 70.
Police Nab Three of County’s Most Wanted
Just three weeks ago, the police began handing out their most wanted lists to local media outlets. It has paid off. Two people have been arrested and one decided it wasn’t worth running and surrendered peacefully to the police of her own volition.
Durbin Does It Again!
Santa Cruz’s James Durbin wowed judges on American Idol last night with a rendition of the Beatles’ “Oh Darlin’” and advanced to the next round.
Elizabeth Cook’s War of The Sexes
Men and women don’t always get along in Elizabeth Cook’s lyrics. There’s the mechanic who cons his housewife clientele in “Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman.” There’s the mullet-haired charmer who may or may not slip Quaaludes to his dates in “El Camino.” Then, of course, there’s the guy who gets so loaded he can hardly get it up in “Yes to Booty.”
Santa Cruz Idol
You know that on American Idol the biggest sob stories are saved for the end. That’s certainly what happened last night, and the wannabe star who got the gasps was a local Santa Cruz artist, James Durbin, 21. Ryan Seacrest warned us at every possible moment that we would cry when we heard his story, and certainly many people probably did.
