Student Lookout: Storm repairs, film tours and Cajun cuisine

What’s good, friends?

Well folks, it’s finally happening. My time as a veteran barista is coming to an end in just over a week — I will officially be joining Lookout full time, after about a year of part-time reporting. While the friends I’ve made over the past few years will certainly be missed, I am excited to commit fully to writing and, of course, all of you.

That said, feel free to come by the Seabright Verve in the afternoon sometime this or next weekend. If you tell me that you’re a Student Lookout subscriber, I’ll float you a complimentary beverage. I would have done this in the past, too, but you’re coming up on your last chance!

If you haven’t signed up for your FREE Lookout Membership, enter your phone number below to register. In addition to unlimited access to all of Lookout, you’ll receive exclusive Student Lookout text alerts every Friday with deals, recommendations, and more.

Let’s get started …

Deals Download

Check out these student discounts:

• Students (and teachers) get 10% off at Well Within on Thursdays.
• HoM Korean Kitchen offers 15% off for students.
• Seymour Marine Discovery Center offers free admission to UC Santa Cruz students and 25% off for all student tickets.

Best Deal of the Month: CineLux $5 Ticket Tuesdays

CineLux Theatres are now offering $5 movie tickets on Tuesdays. You can purchase your ticket online or in person. What a deal!

Good Eats

Roux Dat ($$)

Santa Cruz is quite a distance from the Deep South, but you can find some of those unique flavors in Capitola at Roux Dat. The Cajun restaurant used to have a small space in the Abbot Square Octagon building, but has since upgraded to a larger spot with a full dining area. My girlfriend and I just ordered catfish po’boys and jambalaya from the restaurant last weekend and we were not disappointed. Tack on an order of light, puffy beignets coated in powdered sugar to top it all off.

If you love food, be sure to check out the work from our local food expert, Lily Belli. Recently, she raved about a limited-edition pizza that Bookie’s, the pizza kitchen inside Sante Adairius Rustic Ales on Water Street, has on the menu right now. The pizza, featuring golden chanterelles — a mushroom available right now, but not for very long — dried apricots, guanciale, onions, peppers and more is available for another month or so. It’s $31 for a pie, but if this sounds appealing to you, convince a friend to chip in and share.

Inside Santa Cruz: Storm repairs — a lot of them — are underway

Now that we’re finally in a dry stretch, the city, county and residents themselves have begun to pick up the pieces after the weekslong barrage of rough weather. Some areas fared pretty well, while a few bore the brunt of the damage. Here’s where things stand now.

In the City of Santa Cruz, West Cliff Drive was hit the hardest.

No huge surprise here, but the rain, wind and heavy waves did a number on the scenic bayside roadway. Three areas with eroded armoring saw the most damage, and in order to keep the public safe, emergency repairs began Monday. Locals on scene could see massive boulders on flatbed trucks heading to the site, where huge cranes were stationed for the repairs. The road is limited to one-way westbound traffic between Columbia Street and Woodrow Avenue, closed between Woodrow and David Way and limited to local traffic, bikes and pedestrians only between David Way and Almar Avenue. Senior Civil Engineer Josh Spangrud told me that he hopes to begin repairs on the rest of West Cliff by the summer.

Mountain residents were hit as hard as anyone, and are struggling with recovery due to insurance denials and red-tagged homes.

In Lompico, a community about 10 minutes from Felton, residents are grappling with road closures, power outages and property damage. Lookout’s Hillary Ojeda spoke to a Lompico resident whose insurance claim was denied, leaving him scrambling to come up with what could be $250,000 in repairs. The Santa Cruz Mountains communities had the most red-tagged structures, meaning that they are too dangerous to occupy. Of the more than 1,000 damaged structures throughout the county, the mountains are home to the majority of them.

Capitola businesses are determined to reopen soon.

Zelda’s On the Beach, a restaurant in Capitola Village, got pummeled by the storms. Part of the restaurant needs to be demolished, and much of the rest needs to be fortified to prevent further damage. That said, the kitchen is still functional and the bar is in relatively decent condition. The place is salvageable, even if kind of a mess. The owners hope to reopen by Memorial Day. Other Capitola Village restaurants have to close, too, and employees are now out of work. The Community Foundation is working to support those folks.

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 some events you should check out:

She Adventures Film Tour, Saturday, 7-10 p.m.
Join an engaged audience at the Rio Theatre in Midtown for nine films full of action and exploration of courage and determination. The films feature a wide representation of women of different ages, ethnicities and sexualities, each with their own profound stories of outdoor adventures, ranging from the highest peaks to the coldest waters. Get your tickets today!

Transit-urban design expert panel, Monday, 6-8 p.m.
Transit is a hot topic right now, and why shouldn’t it be? In the face of climate change, the way we commute is under as big a microscope as ever, and we are always looking for ways to adapt. Next week is Transit Equity Week, and on Monday, you can join local officials and experts, including District 3 Santa Cruz County Supervisor Justin Cummings, UCSC Social Sciences department chair Miriam Greenberg and Santa Cruz Metro CEO Michael Tree to participate in a discussion around public transit and the role it plays in achieving a cleaner future.

Santa Cruz Works New Tech, Wednesday, 6-8 p.m.
Looking for a job post-graduation can be daunting and stressful. Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to even begin. This might be a decent starting spot, though. Join Santa Cruz Works at the Courtyard Marriott near the Boardwalk to grab some food and drinks, listen to live music and network with some local professionals. You might find out about some companies or opportunities you didn’t even know existed!

BONUS: Soulja Boy at the Catalyst, Friday, 8:30 p.m.
This is sold out, but I really don’t think I have to explain, do I? As silly as he might be, Soulja Boy is one of the most influential hip-hop acts of this century, and that is a hill that I am willing to die on. Is that a joke? Kind of, but not really. The trap rap of today would not be what it is without his contributions. If you have tickets, have fun!

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

Puzzle Center

Think you can conquer our Word Search on cities in Arizona? Put yourself to the test. If you enjoy these, check out our full Puzzle Center.

Lookout Job Board

Are you looking for a job? Check out our job board for Santa Cruz County openings.

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

I hope you Slugs have settled in well to the new quarter. As for the Seahawks, enjoy your final weekend of freedom!

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.