Christina Morgan Cree

Jun 2013 15

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

2013 Articles, Arts & Entertainment, Christina Morgan Cree

by Christina Morgan Cree

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk...just mention the place and I can smell the cotton candy. Around here we all have our own special memories of the boardwalk; walking the strip at dusk hand in hand with your sweetheart, being lured into indigestion by the intoxicating smells of the funnel cakes and garlic fries, getting stuck upside down in the cage ride and having all the change fall out of your pocket onto the cages below, running into almost everyone you know on dollar night, bringing the kids and eyes reliving your own childhood fun all over again through them.

Apr 2013 20

Going Green Santa Cruz Style

2013 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Going Green

by Christina Morgan Cree

Earth Day is a big deal around here. It’s not just one day out of the year to raise awareness and make new environmentally friendly resolutions, it’s a celebration of a way of life and proclamation of deep convictions. We care about the planet and believe every individual’s actions make a difference.

Apr 2013 6

Stephen King, “Master of Horror”

2013 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Christina Morgan Cree

When you’re first introduced to a successful person’s work, it’s hard to imagine them as anything but a success; confident in their gifts and unquestioning in their abilities. What I have found, though, is that it is not an immediate recognition of their obvious talent that brought them success, but it is their perseverance and almost blind determination to push past rejection and failure. To keep on going even after years of negative feedback and discouragement-fueled by a passion for what they do. Instead of taking rejection as a “no”, they show us how to embrace it, learn from it, and keep moving forward. Stephen King is one of those people.

Jan 2013 26

Agatha Christie, A Life in Three Acts Part 3: Personal and Professional Success, & the Later Years

2013 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Christina Morgan Cree

It was 1928 and Agatha Christie was on her own, newly divorced and traveling to the Middle East on the Orient Express. It was a kind of test for herself; she wondered how she’d do without anyone else to help or keep her company. Once there, she met some new British friends, the Woolleys, who invited her to stay with them and made her promise to come visit again the next year.

Dec 2012 22

An English Christmas Dinner with Agatha Christie

2012 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Food Fun, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Christina Morgan Cree

Agatha Christie spent her Christmases as a Child at Abney Hall, a picturesque, grand estate in the North of England. The entire family would come together to celebrate. She recalls it as a very happy time. The cousins would have a contest to see who could eat the most at Christmas dinner and they could have their fill of candied fruits and chocolates. The grounds of Abney Hall were a wonderland with gardens, a stream and waterfall, and all kinds of places to explore.

Nov 2012 24

The Santa Cruz Coffee Experience: Five Variations on a Theme

2012 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

Self- proclaimed coffee “connoisseurs”, “geeks” and “aficionados” abound in Santa Cruz. They don’t just want an expertly crafted and unique cup of coffee, they want an atmosphere in which they can savor both good coffee and good conversation. Santa Cruz offers several different experiences for those who want it all: a thoughtfully designed space and a unique or maybe daring take on their most favorite beverage.

Nov 2012 3

Agatha Christie, a Life in Three Acts Part 2: Love, Marriage and Writing

2012 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Christina Morgan Cree

“I personally had no ambition. I knew that I was not very good at anything… How much more interesting it would be if I could say that I always longed to be a writer, and was determined that someday I would succeed, but, honestly, such an idea never came into my head.” Agatha Christie, An Autobiography

Aug 2012 4

Santa Cruz Staycation: Where the locals go to get away

2012 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

Santa Cruz has many spots that, because of their beauty and very low (or no) cost, are favorites among the locals. Most of these can be visited for free or for a slight fee if you choose to park in the parking lot. Go for an hour or two, or bring a picnic and hang out longer-and they’re all great for photo ops. (And they’re family friendly if you’ve got kids in tow).

Jul 2012 21

Agatha Christie, A Life in Three Acts–Part 1: The Early Years

2012 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Mysteryrat's Maze

by Christina Morgan Cree

Thirty years after Agatha Christie’s death, her grandson, Mathew Prichard, was cleaning out one of his mother’s rooms shortly after she had passed away. In a cardboard box he found his grandmother’s dictation machine-an obsolete “Grundig Memorette” reel-to-reel.

Jun 2012 23

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith: Book Review

2012 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Fantasy & Fangs

by Christina Morgan Cree

In Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Seth Grahame-Smith tells the “real” story behind the war that ripped a nation apart. Following the huge and unexpected success of his first mash-up, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in 2009, Grahame-Smith uses the same formula and interjects stories of vampires at various points along the chronology of Lincoln’s biography.