Student Lookout: Fall adventures, the Screaming Hand, and a free yoga class

Well, well, well, look who it is,

I hope you all had a good week and are looking forward to the mid-fall months now rapidly approaching. Slowly but surely, the sun is going down earlier, and that is a welcome sight to me.

I do enjoy the warm weather and long days of summer, but there’s just something about those early sunsets and the chilly bite of the winter air that feels nostalgic and endlessly comforting.

Y’all might have not been much help on the Halloween costume front. No help at all, in fact. Still, shoot me a text and let me know what your favorite season is. Are you like me who enjoys long nights and rain (if we get any), or are you the type to prefer hanging out poolside in the hot sun?

If you are a student and haven’t signed up for your FREE Lookout Membership yet, enter your phone number below to register. Not only will you get unlimited access to all of Lookout, but you’ll also receive Student Lookout text alerts every Friday with exclusive deals, local recommendations, puzzles and more. So, what are you waiting for?

All right, let’s get to it…

Deals Download

Check out some highlighted discounts just for students:

• Bike & coffee: At Lulu Carpenter’s Midtown, bicyclists going through the, uh, ride-through get 10% off.
• Tacos & burritos: Get a 10% student discount at Restaurante Los Pinos.
• Costume & thrift shopping: Many Goodwill locations have a 10% discount for students. Santa Cruz County locations are downtown, Scotts Valley, Capitola and Watsonville.

What’s the best student deal you’ve found? Shoot us an email to let us know at studentlookout@lookoutlocal.com.

Deal of the Month: SCG Fitness

SCG Fitness Santa Cruz is offering a free month of yoga this October. Yoga classes are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

➤ Want to share these deals with your friends? Have them sign up for Student Lookout texts with this link.

Eats on a budget

Not tacos, but arepas are the star of the show over at Pana Food Truck. Tucked in the parking lot at the bottom of Western Drive that holds the Westside farmers market on Saturdays, Pana Food Truck has been serving up a variety of the stuffed gordita-like, handheld cornmeal pockets for a number of years now, and has become quite the staple on the Westside. Do yourself a favor and give these a shot, especially if you liked the pupusas I recommended a while back.

If you love eating, cooking and reading about food, be sure to check out the work from our local food expert, Lily Belli. She recently shared news that Mariposa Cuban Coffee on Pacific Avenue, which has operated through pop-ups inside the now-closed Sandwich Spot space, aims to open a permanent cafe in that very spot early next year — and there is much more to come for the downtown food scene.

Inside Santa Cruz: Five fall must-dos this October

Recommended by Lookout intern Blaire Hobbs

It’s finally here — spooky season, that lovely sliver of the year when the leaves are warm reds and oranges, a crisp wind blows, and chunky sweaters bust out of the closet. Except, I forgot ... it’s Santa Cruz, and we don’t have seasons. But that doesn’t stop us from breaking out the garlands of fake autumnal leaves.

Fall falls fast, but before it flashes by, make sure to find these decidedly autumn-themed activities and treats.

1. Pumpkin patch at Rodoni Farms: Head down Highway 1 to this coastal spot and pick up all manner of pumpkin varieties with some magical names like Jack-Be-Little, Cinderella, Fairytale, and Carnival ... and of course your run-of-the-mill jack-o-lantern types. Rodoni also sells all manner of produce, flowers, and locally made goods like soaps and honey.
2. Verve Coffee Roasters’ Pumpkin Pie Latte: Not to make any claims about other pumpkin-inspired drinks from other establishments, but Verve’s pumpkin pie latte is actually good. It uses real pumpkin, is lightly spiced and sweetened, not to mention followed up with that delightful creamy latte flavor. What’s not to like? It also runs only during the fall, so grab one soon!
3. Costume shopping in downtown Santa Cruz: Wigs? Fake blood? Or an all-leather vintage trench coat? Downtown has you covered. Go by yourself, with a date, or a gaggle of friends, but nothing beats perusing the aisles of the kookiest stores in town. Check out this list from the Downtown Association and the map below. Can’t find what you need in town? Check out The Abbot’s Thrift in downtown Felton, Grey Bears in Live Oak, or The Find! in Scotts Valley.
   
4. Fall foliage in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park: Santa Cruz isn’t known for its deciduous trees, but Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has an answer to that. Wander through the Fall Creek trail - Dozens of multicolored trees? Check. A carpet of leaves to wade through? Check. A meandering creek with stones the right shape for rock skipping? Check. Looking for fall foliage closer to town? Take a stroll down Walnut Street. While only a block or two, it’ll still provide that warm ambiance to make you feel like you’re experiencing a crisp New England fall.
5. Late-night spooky movies at Del Mar Theatre: Check out the creepy lineup this month for Del Mar’s Cine Insomnia! Stay up late for these 11:55 p.m. showings at this classic theater. Each weekend offers a seriously scary cinematic experience. Get some friends together or go alone and enjoy spooky season!

Puzzle Center

How much do you know about sea otters? Test your knowledge and learn more in our sea otter crossword puzzle.

Around Town - Events

Did you know that we have an events calendar? BOLO, which stands for Be On the Lookout, is our hub for the best events in the county. See all the listings here.

Here are upcoming events we think students need to know about:

Friday, 5-8 p.m.
First Friday After Hours: Maritime Mysteries and Monsters
Enjoy the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History’s October edition of First Friday with a twist. This special after-hours event highlights some of the terrifying creatures, cryptids and legends from the depths below. The nautical-themed event will feature activities guided by local ocean experts, including attendees from UC Santa Cruz, the Seymour Center, Black Surf Club and more. Anyone fascinated by — or afraid of — the ocean should check this out.

Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Open Farm Tours
For just $10 per person, you can meet farmers and tour up to 15 family-owned farms in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties this weekend. Aside from participating in classic farm-centric events such as apple juicing, pickings and other workshops, attendees can learn about sustainable agriculture and get a behind-the-scenes look at the agricultural landscape.

Sunday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Santa Cruz Film Festival - LGBTQ+ short films
Head to the Veterans Memorial Building on Sunday afternoon to catch some screenings hosted by Santa Cruz Pride and the Santa Cruz Film Festival. This weekend, the festival will feature LGBTQ+-themed and -produced short films for free! Check out the entire list of screenings here.

➤ Want more? If you’re still looking for great things to do, check out Wallace Baine’s Weekender here.

➤ More local jobs: Browse more open positions on the Lookout Job Board.

Game Time - College Athletics

UC Santa Cruz: The women’s volleyball team continued its hot start with a four-set victory over the University of Mary Washington, the team’s third win of the Coast-to-Coast Invite. Samantha Taylor finished with 14 kills, while Lauren Bliss had 24 assists. The team improved to 13-4 on the season and hosts Feather River College at Kaiser Permanente Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The men’s soccer team broke a five-match winless streak, taking down Fresno Pacific by a score of 3-0. Luca Bravo, Caleb Lee and Tyler Allred all scored their first goals of the season.

Cabrillo College: The football team dropped a turnover-plagued 17-14 decision to San Jose City College last weekend, and hosts Merced at 7 p.m. Saturday looking to get back into the win column.

One last thing …

Did you know? Did you know that the famous Screaming Hand was inspired in part by a dead person? Graphic designer Jim Phillips always incorporated his surroundings into his art, including drawing clenched hands coming from the water after seeing a drowned person. He eventually expanded the hand and added a mouth giving us the well-recognized skating graphic we have today.

That’s all for this week, folks. Shoot me any suggestions or questions you might have, and I’ll be in touch.

Talk to y’all next week!

— Max

If you have recommendations on places we should feature next week, pass them along and we’ll send you a free Lookout T-shirt. Email your ideas to student@lookoutlocal.com.