Santa Cruz

Aug 2022 20

The Fragrance of Death By Leslie Karst: Review/Giveaway/Travel Guest Post

2022 Articles, Food Fun, Kathleen Costa, Mysteryrat's Maze, Travel

by Kathleen Costa
& Leslie Karst

Sally Solari lives in the low-key beach community of Santa Cruz, California, amidst rich farmland producing bushels of fruits and vegetables perfect for any kitchen artist’s culinary creations. Sally grew up and honed her culinary skills in the family”s Italian seafood restaurant Solari’s, and recently inherited Gauguin’s restaurant from her Aunt Letta. She promoted the head chef, Javier, to co-owner, and now they’re experiencing excellent success.

Mar 2017 11

Project Purr: Caring for Feral Cats and Kittens in Santa Cruz

2017 Articles, Animal Rescue Adventures, Christina Morgan Cree

by Christina Morgan Cree

Have you ever seen a feral cat and noticed the tip of one of its ears is missing? That's a good thing. It means someone has loved them by taking the time to humanely trap them and take them to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and treated for parasites. Love for the unloved kitties is what Project Purr is all about.

Aug 2016 13

Bookshop Santa Cruz: a 50 year love affair with the community

2016 Articles, Books & Tales, Christina Morgan Cree, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

Bookshop Santa Cruz is a locally owned and operated independent book seller since 1966. It's a Santa Cruz favorite, a hub of literary activity and community events, and has provided the standard for other independent book sellers. They offer new and used books, a large magazine collection, cards and gifts, and host events that feature both local and national authors.

Apr 2016 23

Dying for a Taste By Leslie Karst: Review/Interview/Giveaway

2016 Articles, Food Fun, Mysteryrat's Maze, Sandra Murphy

by Sandra Murphy

Solari’s Italian restaurant is an old-fashioned kind of place with fried zucchini appetizers, spaghetti carbonara entrees, men in the kitchen to make the dishes, and women in the front of the house to soothe cranky diners, make the schedules and balance the register at the end of the night.

Jan 2016 23

The Ben Lomond Baking Company

2016 Articles, Food Fun, Travel

by Joelle Dingman

If you’re meandering through the California redwoods, making your way up Highway 9, you’ll eventually find yourself in the small, but charming town of Ben Lomond. There you’ll find numerous delightful and unique businesses, and in the heart of this quaint town you’ll find a wonderful Italian bakery nestled into the architecture of this iconic town in the beautiful and rustic valley.

Oct 2015 31

Hot Chocolate and Cold Nights in Santa Cruz

2015 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Food Fun, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

Chocolate and I have a love affair that goes back as far as I can remember. From my first cake, to the time when I was five and my mom had to restrict my Hershey bar intake to one a day because I just couldn't handle myself. All the way through to adulthood I didn't go a day without chocolate.

Jul 2015 25

The Scoop on Santa Cruz Ice Cream

2015 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Food Fun, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

When I first moved to Santa Cruz, Marianne's on Ocean was the place to go for locals and the obligatory stop on the way home from a long day in the sand and sun for tourists. That was 30 years ago, and it's still a hot spot with a line out the door day and night. Joining that wonderful institution is a new breed of ice cream shop.

Dec 2013 14

A Santa Cruz Kind of Christmas

2013 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

Santa Cruz offers many wonderful ways to get in the holiday spirit this year. We may not have snow, but how many places can boast a Nutcracker ballet performed by trees? Victorian carriage rides, Holiday light trains, and Nutcracker ballets are just a few of the many fun activities going on this season.

Oct 2013 19

A Spooktacular Santa Cruz Halloween

2013 Articles, Christina Morgan Cree, Travel

by Christina Morgan Cree

Santa Cruz has something for everyone when it comes to celebrating Halloween. Whether it’s participating in a family friendly costume parade or partying half the night away with the local undead-look no further. Take your pick of spooky train rides, walks through the cemetery, join a Thriller flash mob or do some pumpkin painting on the Esplanade.

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.