New Leaf Community Markets’ Aptos, Westside Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay locations have added robot cashiers (and don’t worry, they’re not taking anyone’s job) — as will its Capitola outpost, which is moving up and across 41st Avenue.
Capitola & Soquel
From Soquel to Pajaro, fundraisers put the focus on farms, farmworkers
Community Bridges’ Farm to Fork Gala happens July 30 in Pajaro, followed by an August event featuring activist Dolores Huerta to raise money for the Center for Farmworker Families and Esperanza Community Farms. September brings benefit dinners featuring local chefs to Watsonville and Soquel.
Eaters Digest: Honey B Market’s cashew-milk soft serve
Lily Belli brings you her recommendations for what to eat in Santa Cruz County, along with a weekly guide to the most important food and drink events in the area. She’ll also point you to Lookout’s list of area food guides and the best in food news.
Lily Belli on Food: A ‘fungicle’ pop-up, Tortilla Flats touch-up and Farm Discovery’s 2023 season
Hello eaters! Jessica M. Pasko here. While Lily is out on parental leave, I’m pitching in on the latest local food news. A little about me — I’m a writer and a native of upstate New York, living in Santa Cruz for over a decade. Our rich food culture is just one of the many […]
Tortilla Flats’ new owner touches up a Soquel staple
While Zolina Zeravica is aiming to keep what’s made Tortilla Flats a local fave, the longtime employee-turned-owner has given the Soquel Mexican restaurant a colorful paint job and has added new cocktails and tequila tastings to the menu.
Civil grand jury dings Scotts Valley, Capitola over affordable housing — and exponential increases are still ahead
By 2031, under state mandates, Capitola will need to boost its affordable housing permitting by roughly 9,000% over what it permitted between 2015 and 2022; Scotts Valley will need to permit 803 new income-restricted units, a more than 4,000% increase. That comes after both jurisdictions struggled to meet state goals from 2015 through 2022, and both come in for criticism in a recent report by Santa Cruz County’s civil grand jury.
How I Got My Job: Bay Federal’s Nicole Beaver on building a career in the financial industry as a young mother
Nicole Beaver, manager of Bay Federal Credit Union’s Capitola branch, juggled multiple jobs and school while also raising a family as she made her way through the ranks of the credit union. She spoke to Lookout about the wide variety of roles in the financial industry and why banking requires good people skills — it’s not all dollars and cents.
Cocoa-nuts rejoice: Santa Cruz County chocolatiers have a match for every dad this Father’s Day
Got a dad in your life who’s a griller? A rocker? Sports fan? Practical joker? Father’s Day is nearly upon us, and Laura Sutherland has a guide to pairing Dad with offerings from local chocolate makers Marini’s, Tiny House, Donnelly, Mackenzies and Ashby Confections.
Lily Belli on Food: Santa Cruz’s permanent parklets progress, a prescription for produce, and summer flavors
Hello eaters! Jessica M. Pasko here. While Lily is out on maternity leave, I’m pitching in on the latest local food news. A little about me — I’m a writer and a native of upstate New York, living in Santa Cruz for over a decade. Our rich food culture is just one of the many […]
Lily Belli on Food: Salmon release at wharf, expanding food systems and summer workshops
Hello eaters! Jessica M. Pasko here. While Lily is out on maternity leave, I’m pitching in on the latest local food news. A little about me — I’m a writer and a native of upstate New York, living in Santa Cruz for over a decade. Our rich food culture is just one of the many […]

