Striking graduate students picketing at the entrance to the UC Santa Cruz campus
(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)
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Student Lookout: UCSC strike, downtown makers market and the Thanksgiving holiday

What’s happenin’, folks,

This week was probably a little different for you Slug readers. What with the systemwide University of California academic workers strike, you probably had less going on this week than usual. We’re following the strike developments closely here at Lookout, and we’ll be providing coverage as the events continue. Be sure to check the site to catch up on what you might’ve missed or scroll down to the top news stories section.

That said, I hope you had a good week regardless. The holidays are coming, and plans are probably starting to come together for those celebrating. I should start securing present ideas soon, honestly. Also letting you know we won’t have a new edition next week, so enjoy the Thanksgiving break and I’ll catch up with you the following Friday.

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?

And with that, let’s get started…

Deals Download


Check out these three Santa Cruz student discounts:

Don’t forget to have your student ID to get the discount!

DEAL OF THE MONTH: Student ticket price for Santa Cruz Warriors with promo code STUDNT

Santa Cruz Warriors student lookout ticket deal

Buy your tickets online in advance to get this deal and use code “STUDNT” to unlock $10 off your ticket price. To purchase your ticket, visit the Santa Cruz Warriors’ ticket site, choose your game and then enter your promo code in the unlock section (seen in the image below).

where to put in promo code

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

Eats on a budget

If you enjoyed the pupusas from Taqueria Jalapeños, then it’s time to give Dos Hermanos Pupuseria a shot. You can find the business in stand form or in truck form at any of the farmers markets in town. For $14, you can get three pupusas of your choice, and you won’t be disappointed. Check Dos Hermanos’ Instagram to see where it will be next.

If you love eating, cooking and reading about food, be sure to check out the work from our local food expert, Lily Belli. In Friday’s Eaters Digest, she reviews the new Faultline Brewing location in Scotts Valley and previews a can-centric weekend event. And in this week’s newsletters, she takes note that Sante Adairius is now 100% woman-owned.

Inside Santa Cruz: Three vaguely Thanksgiving-y activities to pursue over the Thanksgiving break

Local jewelry maker Mika Flink displays a tray of her handmade rings.
(Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz)

Recommended by Blaire Hobbs.

It’s almost Thanksgiving, again (queue up the “I thought that was last year” joke). Thanksgiving is widely recognized, but I’ve noticed that many people who grew up celebrating this holiday no longer take it seriously anymore — me included. In fact, that’s where Friendsgiving comes in handy, filling a turkey-sized hole in our social-gathering lives, not to mention requiring us to get together and celebrate our friendships. When do you ever cook such an extravagant meal for friends?

Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving — whether you’re celebrating both, one or the other or neither this year, Lookout has some recommendations for making the most of your four days of vacation time with varied levels of Thanksgivingyness.

1. Potluck: I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t a potluck basically Thanksgiving? And you would be correct. Thanksgiving is a fancy potluck — unless your guests are inconsiderate and don’t bring anything to contribute (then it’s an unpaid restaurant gig). So instead of Thanksgiving, host a fall-themed potluck instead! Some potluck perks? You get to experiment with recipes you would never make by yourself. You also get to force your friends to do the same. And then experience the warm glow of sharing in your efforts.

2. Game night: This one is generic, but so worth it. You can play your standard board games like Settlers of Catan or Ticket to Ride. Or you can play card games like Cards Against Humanity. Or, even better, you can create your own! Check out this list of Thanksgiving-themed games that are mostly just normal games with a fall twist, but which will give you and your friend’s creative crafting vibes, while providing mini activities throughout the night. This list is designed for families, but is very easy to tailor to adults.

3. Craft fairs: Many cities in the U.S. start gearing up for Christmas as soon as the clock strikes midnight on Thanksgiving, which means that you can generally find a nearby craft fair, artisan fair, local goods market or the like the following weekend. If you’re in Santa Cruz next week, check out the makers market downtown, which Max lists in the can’t-miss BOLO events below. Craft fairs are a fantastic way to support your local craftspeople, buy some legitimately cool and unique items, and get to know the people who make them.

Puzzle Center

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, 8-10:30 p.m.
“Now and Then”
Hit the Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre for a romantic comedy titled “Now and Then.” The play, written by Sean Grennan and directed by Kathie Kratochvil, is a touching look at the choices we make in life, and those that stand by our sides through it all. If you’re itching for some live theater, check this out.

Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
La Selva Beach Holiday Fair
There’s a big holiday fair in La Selva Beach for South County residents or anyone else willing to head down Highway 1. Not only does this one feature 50 vendors who can fulfill your holiday needs, but there will also be a book sale from the Friends of La Selva Library, a prize raffle and an appearance by Ate3One Food Truck.

Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market
If you want to get a head start on gift shopping, try the makers market on Sunday. These take place every third Sunday and provide a great opportunity to support local, independently owned businesses. The stands that make up the market display a wide range of locally crafted goods from art and jewelry to local ingredients. Check out the full list of participating vendors 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.

One last thing …


Did you know … that Natural Bridges State Beach initially got its name from the three arches that once existed at that location. Today, only one of the original three mudstone bridges exists. The first arch fell between 1905 and 1906, while the second bridge collapsed during a storm the night of Jan. 10, 1980. These coastal arches were called “bridges” because visitors formerly were allowed to walk and even drive across them.

natural bridges over the years
(Via UC Santa Cruz Special Collections)

Well, I guess that’s about all I have for ya this week. When winter break rolls around, we’ll just do one Student Lookout edition for the month, like we did in the summer. So start sending me suggestions of things to include! This is for you, after all.

Stay warm and I’ll 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.