Emily Thomas, owner and brewer at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing was selected by the Brewers Association to speak at the annual Craft Brewers Conference last week in Washington, D.C. Thomas, a top micro-brewing entrepreneur talked at the brew-expo about creative fundraising, something she has done with flair at her popular brewery in the Ingalls Street complex.
Posts Tagged: PLATED
Lavish Lunches at Tramonti
New and lively, Tramonti has already won the tastebuds of Seabright locals with its large portions, delicious pizzas and can-do service. When Rita and I had lunch at Tramonti last week, we found all of the above—and more. Yes, Tramonti is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, noon to 2:30pm. Pizzas are quite tasty here, she assured me—again, big is the game plan. Generous portions served by very well-trained, friendly staffers.
Plastic Wine Plugs from Zork Cork
We discovered a bottle of delightful Sauvignon Blanc 2010 from a Sonoma estate named for an old adobe, Leese-Fitch. We found the wine itself light, crisp, lemon grassy and utterly easy to drink. The $10 price tag didn’t hurt, either. But what was most intriguing about this bottle of wine was its closure. Not a cork, nor the infamous Stelvin screw cap. It was something much, much different.
Renee Shepherd Turns Heirloom Seeds Into Global Business
When UCSC alumna Renee Shepherd opted out of an academic future and into the rarified world of heirloom growing, it was early days in the world of regional gardening. That was 25 years ago, and whether or not her PhD in History of Consciousness had anything to do with it, Shepherd struck up a friendship with a Dutch seed broker who basically planted the seed (so to speak) of her now-global heirloom seed business. The only thing that doesn’t grow on Shepherd is moss.
Post-Holiday Dining
Soif is closed until Jan. 11 for its annual refreshing, but the restaurant at Casablanca Inn & Bistro is closed for renovations prompted by what a spokesperson called “damage from a recent storm.” There’s no word on when the beachfront landmark will reopen. So meanwhile, there’s Michael’s on Main, continually reinventing itself, most recently by opening its kitchen up on Tuesdays to ambitious guest chefs.
Kendra Baker Offers Ice Cream Course
Lots of events erupting at this busy wine store in downtown Santa Cruz. A Wargin Wines pouring on Sept. 29 for example. Mikael Wargin is a Soquel native who majored in biochemistry at UCSC.
Oktoberfest at Davenport Roadhouse
Bring a major thirst and a sense of fun to the Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant and Inn on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29 and 30, for an outdoor spectacle of great food, beer, live music and lots of stuff to make the kids happy. The event, by the way, helps to raise funds for beach clean-up efforts in Santa Cruz, called Tip the Ocean—developed by LiVBLUE in partnership with the Davenport Roadhouse and Save Our Shores.
First Friday Offers Best in Free Dining
The coming of “First Friday” means two things: One, another night of inspiring, innovative arts events. Two, you just paid rent. Luckily, once a month in Santa Cruz you can satisfy your inner culture vulture, while simultaneously acting like an actual vulture. Go ahead, eat that 18th cheese cube—save your groceries for Saturday night.
New Capitola Eatery Offers Eceltic Options
Restaurateurs Daniel Voskoboynikov of the Harbor Cafe and Mike Pitt of Motiv and Castaways have melded their minds and aesthetics and opened Süda, the new Pleasure Point hot spot. Locals will hardly recognize the old Rock of the Sea, which has had a major face lift (and for once the procedure really has left her looking younger and healthier). The open, light-filled restaurant incorporates recovered wood, stone and living plants into the design. Picnic tables serve as outdoor seating where neighbors in the know can be seen lounging over a pitcher of beer with their two- and four-legged friends.
Pop-Up Breakfast at Westside Market
If breakfast is so important, why isn’t it more exciting? Chef Kevin Koebel of Local FATT (Food Awareness Through Teaching) and Roland Konicke of Uncle Ro’s Pizza aim to fight weekend morning boredom this Saturday, Aug. 25.