Since her retirement from journalism, longtime Sentinel writer Peggy Townsend has shifted her storytelling skills to the realm of fiction. In her latest novel, “The Beautiful and the Wild,” Townsend explores the depths of isolation and the power of secrets, drawing from her personal experiences as a journalist and a seven-week van trip across Alaska. She appears at Bookshop Santa Cruz on Tuesday.
City Life
Posted inCity Life
Brookdale Lodge, one of Santa Cruz County’s most haunted places, still spooks at 100-plus years old
The Brookdale Lodge is a legendary part of Santa Cruz County’s past, having hosted notable figures like Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Herbert Hoover — and, allegedly, ghosts. Long believed to be haunted by several spirits, the 100-plus-year-old hotel still holds surprises for visitors and staff. Now, as owner Pravin Patel looks to restore some of the closed-off, run-down sections of the hotel, patrons might soon be able to experience the lodge as it was in its heyday.
Posted inCity Life
Children’s theater lights up the stage this weekend with ‘Matilda’ and ‘The Addams Family’
Forget Halloween — if you really want to see children delight in costumes and festivities, check out two theater productions slated for this weekend. Christian Youth Theater in Santa Cruz brings a new take on Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” to the Crocker Theater at Cabrillo College, while All About Theatre stages a season-appropriate production of “The Addams Family” at the London Nelson Community Center.
Posted inCity Life
What’s happening where this Halloween season in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz is a terrific place to be in the black-and-orange season, from the beautiful and family-oriented cultural richness of Dia de Los Muertos in downtown Watsonville to the whack-a doodle spectacle and abandon of Halloween night in downtown Santa Cruz. Wallace Baine brings you a selection of the best ways to have some spooky fun.
Posted inCity Life
What would a new downtown arena mean for Santa Cruz audiences?
With Kaiser Permanente Arena extended beyond its intended lifespan, the Santa Cruz Warriors want a multipurpose downtown venue that could host events beyond basketball year-round, with a capacity of 3,000-4,000. That would be an alluring upgrade from the Civic Auditorium in terms of attracting big-name musical acts and speakers, but whether a new venue would suit mainstay Civic tenants like the Santa Cruz Symphony is a concern — and in any case, it’s no slam dunk that a bigger new venue would be filled regularly, either.
Posted inFood & Drink
A bountiful fall: 23 foodie events happening in Santa Cruz County this month
Local calendars are filling up with food-themed fall events. Lookout food and drink correspondent Lily Belli collected them all in one place, and notes her picks for the best events of the season.
Posted inArts & Entertainment, City Life
Halloween thrills, audio theater, Tom Stoppard: Santa Cruz County theater stages a fall comeback
Santa Cruz County theater companies are making a strong comeback this fall with a lineup that ranges from “The Thin Place,” a chilling play about life after death at the Actors’ Theatre, to Tom Stoppard’s “Rough Crossing,” which opens Jewel Theatre Co.’s farewell season.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
A new era for downtown Watsonville begins after unanimous city council vote
Watsonville’s city council unanimously voted Tuesday night to approve a new 30-year vision to reinvigorate the city’s downtown. The goal is to transform the area into a vibrant hub of culture and commerce, complete with bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly streets and opportunities for new development. That vision rests on a plan for Caltrans to reduce Main Street from four lanes to two.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Petition to cap Santa Cruz building height has enough signatures to qualify for March ballot, organizers say
Organizers of a petition to give voters the power to approve tall buildings in the city of Santa Cruz say they have gathered enough signatures to place a measure on the March primary ballot. The initiative from the group known as Housing for People would require voter approval for proposed new developments that exceed current zoning limits and would enforce affordable housing requirements in large multi-family projects. The initiative comes in response to a downtown expansion plan that sparked controversy with its proposal for 12-story buildings.
Posted inHousing & Development
What will the new Santa Cruz look like? Readers sound off
Wallace Baine asked what Lookout readers thought Santa Cruz’s vibe was and how public art should communicate that as the city undergoes its big makeover. From murals to a riverside sculpture garden to hanging art in alleyways, the response showed that there is no dearth of interest, ideas and energy when it comes to bringing a sense of personality and identification to a new downtown.