With the Presidents Day long weekend nearly here, check out things to do around Santa Cruz County, with a recommendation from Lookout correspondent Lily Belli and a specially curated list from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.
Local Business
Posted inFood & Drink
Roses are red, doughnuts are, too: Six love-soaked desserts to try this Valentine’s Day
As Americans gear up to spend a record $29.1 billion on Valentine’s Day, Santa Cruz County bakeries are offering maximalist, joy-sparking desserts.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: La Selva Beach drone company inks Spanish partner; Watsonville’s economic matchmaker
Parallel Flight Technologies has enlisted help in adapting its Firefly drone for maritime environments, Jessica M. Pasko reports in this week’s look around Santa Cruz County business.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of Feb. 10
Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.
Posted inFood & Drink
Sudden ‘temporary’ closure at Jeffery’s sparks questions, hope about reopening longtime restaurant
Jeffery’s, the nearly 50-year-old diner at Capitola Road and Soquel Avenue, abruptly closed Jan. 28, leaving longtime customers searching for answers. A staff member suggested the restaurant has been sold and will reopen. The owner declined to comment. Public records say nothing about a sale.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Watsonville hires ‘matchmaker’ to spur economic development
Watsonville is working with an Alabama-based retail consultant to bring national retailers and restaurants to spur economic development in the city and provide local shopping options for residents.
Posted inFood & Drink
Bad Animal’s next act: Global French bistro cuisine offers glimpses of a chef on the rise
Bad Animal ended its acclaimed Hanloh pop-up in December and brought its kitchen in-house, tapping former chef de cuisine Nick Hahn to lead the downtown Santa Cruz restaurant. While his precise, produce-driven dishes show clear promise and technical confidence, the opening menu feels like an early chapter — polished and wine-friendly, but still searching for the sense of surprise that defines the space.
Posted inFood & Drink
Weekender: Pizza, sausage and other Super Bowl snacks; ex-supervisor’s Grammy win
Your cheat sheet for eating well and going out in Santa Cruz County, with recommendations from Lily Belli and curated event listings from Lookout’s free, searchable BOLO calendar.
Posted inFood & Drink
Local kickoff: Santa Cruz County food businesses cash in on nearby Super Bowl
Santa Cruz County butchers, pizzerias and breweries are bracing for a busy Sunday as fans stock up for home watch parties for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara. From thousands of pounds of handmade sausage to a flurry of last-minute pizza orders, local food makers say football and sunny weather are a reliable recipe for a sales surge.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Watsonville airport braces for crowds flying in for Super Bowl weekend
Watsonville Municipal Airport is welcoming tourists from all over the country as they arrive in the region to watch Super Bowl LX this weekend. Watsonville is one of 16 regional airports selected by the FAA to help support the increase in air travel for the big game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.