Aptos Life September 2012 by Weeklys

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AU G UST 2 01 2 | P G 1

E V E RY T H I N G A PTOS

APTOS SPORTS PREVIEW PAGE 10 Pg 4

Safeway Meeting Update

Pg 11 Grazing on the Green Preview

Inside

Sports Schedules Community Calendar Valencia Creek Farms Grazing on the Green Poetic Cellars

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 23

Poetry in and out of the Bottle Pg. 12

******ECRWSSEDDM****** POSTAL CUSTOMER APTOS, CA 95003

Dutch-American artist See page 4 Inside

Monthly publication dedicated to covering everything in Aptos CA.

Artist Profile

Poetic Cellar Winery Profile

7 6 5 11 12

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E V E RY T H I N G A PTOS

Table of Contents Safeway Meeting Update Artist Profile - Hedwig Heerschop A taste of Tuscany in the Aptos Hills Community calendar Aptos High School Sports Schedules Sid’s Smokehouse Aptos High School Fall Sports Preview 9th Annual Grazing on the Green Poetry in and on the bottle

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E V E RY T H I N G A PTOS

P Jeremy Burke

G M Victoria Nelson

E

Tom Dunlap

E Erik Chalhoub Todd Guild Tarmo Hannula Roseann Hernandez Glenn Cravens

Laura Ness

P Tarmo Hannula Jeremy Burke

A Jeanie Johnson Tina Chavez Susie Ronzano Jessica Woods

P Daryl Nelson

D

Jeremy Burke

Aptos Life is published monthly by the Central Coast Publishing(The Marketing division of the Register-Pajaronian). All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without wri en consent from the publisher. Aptos Life made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in this publication, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions.

W

Aptoslife.com - Website coming soon should be live by the end of September.

C U Aptos LIfe

7605-B Old Dominion Ct. Aptos, CA 95003 (located in the Aptos History Museum)

877-694-9048

info@aptoslife.com

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Safeway meeting update

Community meets to discuss proposed development of Rancho del Mar Shopping Center in Aptos By ROSEANN HERNANDEZ Of Aptos Life

APTOS —Members of the Aptos community were out in full force Aug. 22 at the second meeting — held at the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz — to discuss the proposed development of the Rancho del Mar shopping center. Facilitated by Hamilton Swift and Associates, the land use planning and real estate development consulting firm hired by Safeway Inc., the meeting was attended by current business tenants of the shopping center and scores of Aptos residents. Rodney Hoffer, owner of Ace Hardware — who was wearing a “No Safeway Megastore” T-shirt along with many attendees — said “hundreds” of people area part of the communities group that opposes the scale of the proposed development and the impact it will have on tenant businesses. “Many people do not want a megastore in Aptos,” he said. “How many businesses can survive after two years – how many employees will we have to let go?” The proposed development would see the Safeway store expand to just under 60,000 square feet, add a second story to the shopping center, redesign the gas station and more. Safeway representative Jon Anderson told the packed room that Safeway “intended to keep every tenant there.” Small Business Development Center Director Teresa Thomae said that Safeway had provided a $50,000 grant to the Cabrillo Foundation to help existing tenants of the shopping center with “extensive technical assistance” and any help needed with lease negotiations or marketing. Robert Lyman of Johnson Lyman Architects presented drawings of the buildings, which he said were influenced by comments from the July community meeting and a recent tour of Aptos he took with historian Sandy Lydon. Lyman said he attempted to incorporate aesthetic elements unique to Aptos, such as the creek, the railroad trestles, redwood

By ERIK CHALHOUB Of Aptos Life

Dutch-American artist Hedwig Heerschop finds the Aptos/La Selva Beach area a perfect fit for her photography skills. “Who could resist crashing waves, sunshine and even fog, lush greenery and above all, great people?” she said. Heerschop, from the Netherlands, hosted a foreign exchange student from Aptos, who invited Heerschop’s family to visit Aptos. Heerschop immediately fell in love with the area, which prompted her decision to move to Aptos. Upon arriving to the U.S., she majored in desktop publishing and multimedia at Cabrillo College, “which connected seamlessly with my photographic skills and artistic bend,” she said. She recently graduated with an MFA in photography from San Jose State University. She described an alternativephotographic process class she took with professor Brian Taylor, which thoroughly inspired her. “He gave me that spark,” Heerschop said. “I’m totally addicted to those old processes.” Taylor offered Heerschop the opportunity to teach alternative photographic processes after she graduated, and she now serves as an adjunct lecturer at the univer-

forests and beaches into the design, while attempting to compress the overall height of the project. The designs included a beach inspired stairway leading through a green wall that wraps around the project, mimicking a creek bed. The use of big timber would call to mind the railway trestles and a proposed second story restaurant above the expanded Safeway would have outdoor seating with ocean views. Natalie Pate of Safeway said they are “directly listening” to the community – including concerns about tenants and keeping Aptos “quaint.” Incoming Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend had this to say about the plan: “Interest is as strong as ever that the community wants to have a genuine say in what their Aptos downtown will look like,” Friend said. “Many still have a sense that adequate mitigations have not been provided for local businesses that will be impacted or that traffic issues will truly be addressed. “

Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life

Tee shirts with messages against an expanded Safeway are hung in the window of Ave Hardware store in the Rancho Del Mar center in Aptos.

Artist Profile

sity. Graduating from SJSU “lead me to share my passion with others through teaching,” she said. Heerschop became a member of the Pajaro Arts Council, who then gave her the opportunity to serve on the board of directors. She recently curated a show at the gallery, “Photo Alchemy: Alternative Processes in Photographic Media,” which featured 74 works and four installations from 59 artists across 11 states. Heerschop also headed up a series of workshops during the exhibit that demonstrated alternative processes such as cyanotype. “Everyone’s enjoying it, and that’s my goal,” she said during one of the workshops. Furthering her involvement with the local arts community, Heerschop is also a board member for the Santa Cruz Art League. Heerschop describes her work as “an artistic expansion of traditional photography.” She works with alternative photographic processes from the mid-1800s, such as cyanotype printing, VanDyke printing and gumbichromate printing techniques. Heerschop’s work is inspired by many different sources, she said, such as her faArtisit on Page 6

Hedwig Heerschop demonstrates how a dry point print is prepared for the printing press. Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life

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Artist

E V E RY T H I N G A PTOS

Continued from page 5

ther’s photography from his military service in Sumatra, sharing images of her homeland and simple people in all walks of life. Some notable places Heerschop has shown her work have been at the International Photography Festival in Pingyao, China, the International Photofestival in the Netherlands, and the SOHO Photo Gallery in New York, among many others. She currently has her work on display at the PV Gallery for the “Monterey Bay: Land, Air and Sea” exhibit, which runs through Oct. 7. “The Pajaro Valley Arts Council affords the artists an opportunity to launch their careers and gives them an opportunity to share with the public their artistic expressions,” Heerschop said. “I am so pleased with the PVAC that we have such a wonderful venue that offers such a varied expression of artistic talent in an accessible area.” During the summer, Heerschop participated in the “Three Centuries of Photography” workshop at SummerArts at California State University, Monterey Bay. “I became excited about expanding my repertoire further into printmaking,” she said. Following that excitement, Heerschop became part of PATT Printmakers at the Tannery in Santa Cruz. She plans on offering workshops ini the future in Santa Cruz and Pacific Grove.

To see more of Heerschop’s work, visit www.hedwigsimages.com or www.hedwigheerschop.com. Above: This dry point print is titled “Sunflower Clown.” Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life Hedwig Heerschop works with a copper plate to make a dry point print Tuesday in her Santa Cruz studio.

A taste of Tuscany in the Aptos Hills By Roseann Hernandez Of Aptos Life

High up in the foothills above Aptos is Valencia Creek Farms, 20 colorful acres packed full of flowers — ornamental herbs such as hydrangeas, lavender, flowering oregano — a pear and apple orchard and the raison d’être — a grove of olive trees used to produce the award-winning Olio delle Colline olive oil. Chris Banthien, along with business partner Bruce Golino, owner of Santa Cruz Olive Tree Nursery, have been producing the lab-tested and certified extra-virgin olive oil since 2001. Producing the oil is a painstaking process. Valencia Creek Farms is home to an estimated 1,800 olive trees, which are harvested by hand in November and December. The olives are not pressed on-site, but taken to a mill in Atascadero after each day’s harvest. “The olives don’t sit around in the sun to oxidize,” Banthien said. The oil is then stored in 55-gallon, stainless-steel containers until it is time to be bottled. All bottling, labeling and shipping is done at the farm. The journey to the first label began in 1997, explained Banthien, when Golino brought the first batch of olive trees to the farm from Pescia, in the Tuscany region of Italy. “You couldn’t buy olive trees in the U.S.,” Banthien said. Our Mediterranean climate, Banthien said, is particularly suited to growing olives. The first olive trees in California were planted by missionaries in the 18th century. There was even an olive mill near the site of the current DeLaveaga Golf Course, Banthien said, where you can still see a few old olive trees. Through the 19th century and until the 1940s, California enjoyed a healthy tradition of producing home-grown olive oils. Banthien does not know why interest in the domestic production of olive oil waned after the 1940s, but by the 1990s, there was a resurgence. Now California is home to more than

Olive trees and colorful landscaping mark the terraced property where Colline di Santa Cruz olive oil is made. Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life

400 growers or producers of olive oil, according to the California Olive Oil Council (COOC), the nonprofit trade and marketing body that provides extra-virgin certification. “California olive oil has become worldfamous,” Banthien said. “Just like the wine industry went crazy — the olive oil industry is huge and the quality is very high.” Since 2008, the production of olive oil in California has doubled. In addition to the Golden State, Banthien said a lot of other places have entered the olive oil game in a big way including Georgia, Florida, Texas and Oregon. For Banthien, there is no comparison between the “old labels,” including Star, and the fresh-tasting olive oil you can get from a local producer. Like wine, Banthien said, olive oil can be just as nuanced and varied. Since they use Tuscan varietals such as Maurino and Frantoio, Olio delle Colline oil tastes just like it would if you were drizzling it over a slice of bruschetta in a Florentine café. A “food-friendly” oil, Banthien said their olive oil has a “really good balance of bitterness, fruitiness and pungency.” The COOC, of which Le Colline di Santa Cruz is a member, tests olive oil for de-

Colline di Santa Cruz olive oil.

Young olives are shown at Chris Banthien’s olive orchard.

fects and taste quality in order to certify it extra virgin. “[Our oil] is certified extra virgin so you know it is tested in a lab and taste tested,” Banthien said. You can find extra virgin olive oil from

Le Colline di Santa Cruz at Gayle’s Bakery and Rosticceria and New Leaf Markets in Capitola, Deluxe Foods of Aptos in Aptos and Shoppers Corner in Santa Cruz.

Community Cale September 1-28, Cabrillo Gallery presents A Bridge Beyond Borders Mixed media and print works on Paper by artists from Mexico and California will be exhibited simultaneously at the Cabrillo Gallery and Monterey Peninsula College Art Gallery.

Sat September 1

Aptos Farmers Market Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive with over 80 vendors, find an unmatched selection of locally grown fresh produce, flowers & artisan products. FREE. 8am - noon, rain or shine. For more information contact Monterey Bay Farmers728-5060 montereybayfarmers.org.

Sun. September 2

Seascape Village Certified Farmers’ Market 11 am 2 pm Courtyard Outside of 16 B Seascape Village - Aptos, CA, 95003 Yeah! The Farmers’ will be ready with beautiful local produce. Slide Man Slim and Penny Hanna will be back playing music. And don’t forget to check out our local artist section. We’re looking forward to a very bountiful year. For more information contact Seascape Foods 685-3134.

Wed. September 5

Wine Wednesdays at Sanderlings. Sanderlings at Seascape Beach Resort, One Seascape Resort Drive. Offering a different Santa Cruz wine, tapas & live music weekly. $15 per person (plus tax & gratuity).Phone: 800.929.7727 sanderlingsrestaurant.com.

Fri September 7

Wine Tasting Seascape Foods. $3 wine tasting every Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm. Featuring a different winery every week. For more information contact Seascape Foods in Aptos 685-3134.

Sat September 8

Sun. September 9

nery Arts Center. Call for reservations, 831-688-14767

Fri September 14

Wine Tasting Seascape Foods. $3 wine tasting every Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm. Featuring a different winery every week. For more information contact Seascape Foods in Aptos 685-3134.

Sat. September 15

Can You Dig It? Aptos Farmers Market, Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Dr. Phone: 831.728.5060 montereybayfarmers.org Gardening workshops and hands-on demonstrations by Monterey Bay Master Gardeners.Time: 9 - 10am. Annual Coastal Cleanup Day Help remove trash from beaches & waterways, learn about how to reduce our impact on the ocean. FREE. Santa Cruz County, CA 831.462.5660. Aptos Farmers Market Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive with over 80 vendors, find an unmatched selection of locally grown fresh produce, flowers & artisan products. FREE. 8am - noon, rain or shine. For more information contact Monterey Bay Farmers728-5060 montereybayfarmers.org.

Sun. September 16

Wed. September 19

Fri September 21

Wine Tasting Seascape Foods. $3 wine tasting every Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm. Featuring a different winery every week. For more information contact Seascape Foods in Aptos 685-3134.

Sat. September 22

Theatre Arts presents Stage Door: High School Theatre Workshops 9 a.m. - 4 pm Cabrillo Crocker Theater Building. Cabrillo Theatre Arts department host its sixth annual one-day workshops for high school students, Stage Door, which explores all aspects of theatre. The all–day workshops, taught by Cabrillo faculty and visiting artists promise students a great time learning new skills and techniques

in theatre arts, as well as getting to know other students who are interested in theatre and sharing information. Students may attend four workshops of their choice throughout the day. Workshops are offered in the following areas: Improvisation, Lighting, Set Design, Props Construction, Unarmed Combat, Costume Design &, Construction, Acting for the Camera, Dance for Musical Theatre, Comedy, Auditioning Aptos Farmers Market Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive with over 80 vendors, find an unmatched selection of locally grown fresh produce, flowers & artisan products. FREE. 8am - noon, rain or shine. For more information contact Monterey Bay Farmers728-5060 montereybayfarmers.org

Sun. September 23

Wed. September 26

Fri September 28

Wine Tasting Seascape Foods. $3 wine tasting every Friday from 4 pm - 6 pm. Featuring a different winery every week. For more information contact Seascape Foods in Aptos 685-3134.

Sat September 29

Sun. September 30

September 11

September Mixer at Seascape Village Shops Time: 5 pm-6:30pm Location: Seascape Village Shops, Aptos Cost: $5 members, $10 non-members Join us for our September mixer for networking, food, drinks, treasure hunt, and more!

Wed. September 12

September 13, 2012 September Breakfast Meeting Time: 7:30am-9 am Location: Best Western Plus Seacliff Inn, Aptos Cost: $20 members, $25 non-members Welcome back from summer breakfast meeting! Join us for breakfast, networking, county reports, and special guest speaker Jeremy Lezin. He will be speaking on the history and future of the Tan-

Wine Tasting every Friday at Seascape Food in Aptos.

endar Aptos High School Sports Schedule Football Aug. 31: at Encinal Sept. 7: at Oakdale Sept. 14: Black and Blue Bowl vs. Watsonville Sept. 21: Alisal Sept. 28: Santa Cruz Oct. 6: vs. St. Francis Central Coast Catholic at Cabrillo College Oct. 12: Scotts Valley Oct. 19: at Soquel Nov. 2: San Lorenzo Valley Nov. 10: at Harbor

Cross-country Sept. 8: Early Bird Invitational at Toro Park Sept. 13: vs. Harbor and Scotts Valley at Scotts Valley, 4 p.m. Sept. 27: at Soquel, 4 p.m. Sept. 29: Stanford Invitational at Stanford University Oct. 6: Earthquake Invitational at Hollister Oct. 11: vs. San Lorenzo Valley and St. Francis Central Coast Catholic at San Lorenzo Valley, 4 p.m. Oct. 13: Crystal Springs Invitational at Crystal Springs Uplands Oct. 20: Monterey Bay Invitational at Toro Park Oct. 25: Santa Cruz, 2 p.m. Nov. 1: Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship meet at Pinto Lake

Girls volleyball Sept. 1: Notre Dame tournament at Notre Dame Sept. 4: at Hollister, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5: Sobrato, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6: Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 11: Harbor, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13: Soquel, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15: Harbor Tournament at Harbor Sept. 18: at St. Francis Central Coast Catholic, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20: Scotts Valley, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 25: at San Lorenzo Valley, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 27: Santa Cruz, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2: Mount Madonna, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 4: at Harbor, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9: at Soquel, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 11: St. Francis Central Coast Catholic, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18: San Lorenzo Valley, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23: at Santa Cruz, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 25: at Mount Madonna, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27: Milpitas Spikefest II tournament at Milpitas

Boys water polo Sept. 4: Monterey, 5 p.m. Sept. 12: Hollister, 5 p.m. Sept. 14: at Carmel, 5 p.m. Sept. 18: Santa Cruz, 5 p.m. Sept. 20: Salinas at Hartnell College, 5 p.m. Sept. 25: Soquel at Cabrillo College, 5 p.m. Oct. 2: Monterey at Santa Catalina, 5 p.m. Oct. 5: Aptos Invitational day one Oct. 6: Aptos Invitational day two Oct. 11: at Hollister, 5 p.m. Oct. 16: Carmel, 5 p.m. Oct. 18: at Santa Cruz, 5 p.m. Oct. 23: Salinas, 5 p.m. Oct. 25: Soquel, 5 p.m.

Girls water polo Sept. 7: at Stevenson, 4:45 p.m. Sept. 10: at Santa Catalian, 5 p.m. Sept. 12: at Hollister, 5 p.m. Sept. 14: Carmel, 5 p.m.

Sept. 18: at San Lorenzo Valley, 5 p.m. Sept. 20: Salinas, 5 p.m. Sept. 25: Soquel, 5 p.m. Sept. 28: Aptos Invitational day one Sept. 29: Aptos Invitational day two Oct. 2: Stevenson, 5 p.m. Oct. 9: Santa Catalina, 5 p.m. Oct. 11: Hollister, 5 p.m. Oct. 16: at Carmel, 5 p.m. Oct. 18: San Lorenzo Valley, 5 p.m. Oct. 23: Salinas at Hartnell College, 5 p.m. Oct. 25: Soquel at Cabrillo College, 5 p.m.

Girls tennis Sept. 5 at Santa Catalina, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 6: Hollister, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 18: Soquel, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20: at Scotts Valley, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25: at Santa Cruz, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 27: at Harbor, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 2: St. Francis Central Coast Catholic, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 4: at Soquel, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 5: at Carmel, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 9: Scotts Valley, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 11: Santa Cruz, 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 16: Harbor, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 18: at St. Francis Central Coast Catholic, 3:30 p.m.

Girls golf

Sept. 6: Soquel at Seascape Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 11: Scotts Valley at DeLaveaga Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 13: San Lorenzo Valley at Boulder Creek Golf Course, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 18: Harbor at Seascape Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20: Santa Cruz at DeLaveaga Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 25: Soquel at Pasatiempo Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 27: Scotts Valley at Seascape Golf Club, 3:15 p.m. Oct. 2: San Lorenzo Valley at Seascape Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 4: Harbor at DeLaveaga Golf Club, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 9: Santa Cruz at Seascape Golf Club, 3:30 p.m.

CabrilloSports Schedule Tuesday, September 4 7:00pm Men’s Soccer vs Santa Rosa

Thursday, September 6 5:00pm Men’s Water Polo VS Modesto

Saturday, September 8 7:00pm Football vs Los Medanos

Sunday, September 9 1:00pm Women’s Soccer vs Cypress

Wednesday, September 12 7:00pm Men’s Soccer vs Lassen

Thursday, September 13 1:30pm Women’s Soccer vs Lassen

Wednesday, September 19 6:30pm Volleyball vs Skyline

Friday, September 21 Women’s Water Polo-Cabrillo Tournament

Saturday, September 22 Women’s Water Polo-Cabrillo Tournament Volleyball vs Fresno & Sac City 4:00pm Men’s Water Polo VS Ohlone

Tuesday, September 25 2:00pm Women’s Soccer vs DeAnza 7:00pm Men’s Soccer vs San Francisco City

Thursday, September 27 3:00pm Women’s Water Polo vs Ohlone

Friday, September 28 2:00pm Men’s Soccer vs Cañada 6:30pm Women’s Soccer vs Foothill

Saturday, September 29 1:00pm Football vs Redwoods

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S E PT E M B E R 2 01 2 | P G 9 E V E RY T H I N G A PTOS

Sid’s Smokehouse and Grill

By TODD GUILD Of Aptos Life

For those driving by on nearby Highway 1, Sid’s Smokehouse and Grill is easy to miss. But to pass by this Aptos gem without giving it a try would be unfortunate. Located at 10110 Soquel Drive between Rio Del Mar and Freedom Boulevard exits, it is the perfect place to catch a quick lunch or enjoy a leisurely dinner in an unhurried environment. Register-Pajaronian photographer Tarmo Hannula and I went to the restaurant for lunch on a Tuesday at noon, when the lunch crowd was just starting to file in. Entering the restaurant, diners encounter the aroma of wood smoke, which to me is a primal smell reminiscent of bonfires and cookouts. It is the scent left behind on wool sweaters after a campfire, of cozy backwoods cabins heated by a wood-burning stove. That is the feeling I had when I entered Sid’s, a feeling bolstered by the natural wood paneling, polished wood tables, wraparound bar and dark red walls. These seemed somehow appropriate for a barbecue joint, as did the recessed lights, which give the restaurant the relaxed feel of a hometown pub. Various sporting events were being shown on several widescreen televisions, while music from a jukebox played softly in the background. We were seated quickly, and our friendly server Haley immediately brought our drink orders. Choosing from the menu where everything looked delicious proved a daunting task indeed. Hoping she would be able to provide assistance, I asked Haley what she recommended. With an encyclopedic knowledge of the menu, Haley suggested the pork ribs ($14$26), beef brisket ($15) and the chili mac, which is macaroni and cheese topped with chili ($8). The pesto mac ($8), one of the restaurant’s newest additions, also came highly recommended. Wood-fired pizza, one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, were tempting, particu-

Sid’s Smokehouse offers a relaxed ambiance with a mix of recessed lighting and natural light. Photos by Tarmo Hannula/Aptos Life

larly the “smokehouse,” ($16) which is topped with smoked chicken, bacon, sweet onion green onion and barbeque sauce. Also on the pizza menu, diners can also choose the “Ragin’ Cajun,” ($15) “Chicken Pesto” ($14) and the “Pork Belly” ($14). But Haley’s suggestions cemented my decision to try the three-item combo ($21), for which I chose pulled pork, beef brisket and pork ribs. Tarmo had the two-item combo ($17) with chicken and beef. Despite our assumption — and Haley’s assurance — that our entrees would be more than enough, we started with the beer-battered onion rings ($7), which came

At Sid’s Smokehouse the BBQ Combo No. 2 is generous portions of slow-smoked beef brisket, smokehouse chicken (or pork ribs), garlic fries, a Hawaiian roll and choice of salads.

Hayley Berra serves up two combination plates that feature a sampling of barbecue favorites at Sid’s Smokehouse in Aptos.

quickly and were perfect — crispy outside with a thick-cut, sweet onion on the inside. We had a choice of a side or a Caesar salad and opted for the latter, and it came packed with freshly shaved parmesan cheese and just enough rich creamy sauce to coat the leaves, but not to drown them. Our entrées were huge and included a Hawaiian roll and one side dish. From a list of nine sides that included smokehouse beans, cornbread and dirty rice, Tarmo chose the garlic fries and I had the potato salad. Tarmo’s fries were topped with plenty of garlic and were well seasoned and crispy. Both of us deemed them perfect. My potato salad — another suggestion by Haley — was rich and creamy and a refreshing accompaniment to the meat-rich meal. The beef brisket was good but a bit dry. I added both the spicy and regular barbecue sauce that sits at each table, which improved it. The pulled pork was very tender, and although it was imbued with a succulent smoky flavor I felt that it also needed a bit more seasoning. A splash of the sauce took care of that. The pork ribs, I must say, were the best I have ever had. Tender meat, a crispy crust and an amazing smoky flavor made me wish I had ordered just them. What’s more, Chef Matt Perez, previously of SmoQe, managed to create these meaty marvels without the aid of sauces.

Instead, Sid’s dry rub worked its magic. Tarmo said his chicken was “very carefully prepared, succulent and full of flavor.” “It definitely floated with flavor,” he said. “It had a lot going on.” Sid’s also features burgers, most notably the Bull Dog Burger, ($10) which is a nod to the restaurant’s mascot and general manager Dave Paradise’s dog. That gastronomical wonder is a half-bacon, half-angus beef burger topped with lettuce, tomato and onion and served on an egg bun. The wood-fired New York strip steak ($22) also caught my eye, as did the woodfired salmon ($17). One problem is the parking. The 15-car lot fills up quickly on busy days, but it is available on the nearby surface streets. Sid’s Smokehouse and Grill opened on Mother’s Day, after owner John Siddall reinvented the restaurant from its former incarnation as SmoQe, which closed in November 2011. Sid’s features a full bar, with seven beers on tap and a sake menu.

Sid’s Smokehouse and Grill is located at 10110 Soquel Drive in Aptos. It is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. For information call 662-2227 or visit www.sidssmokehouse.com.

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Aptos High School Sports Preview By GLENN CRAVENS Of Aptos Life

If the 2012 fall sports season at Aptos High School is anything like what happened a year ago, fans are in for a treat. All of the teams in the fall sports season challenged for team and individual championships with all expected to do so again in 2012. As for which team will lead the way down championship alley, that’s tough to predict. The football team claimed its first Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship for the first time since 2004, and they did it going undefeated. Coach Randy Blankenship, at the helm for his third season, is excited to see his team soon start hitting other teams. “I’m pleased at the progress,” Blankenship said. “We have a way to go, but they had a good offeseason.” The football team was the highest scoring in the SCCAL, putting up 464 points while allowing only 265. Arguably the biggest jaw-dropping display of offense came in its 65-55 win over Soquel on Oct. 14 at Trevin Dilfer Field. The Mariners tallied up 652 yards of offense that night. While the football team is expected to have a great offense once again, Blankenship is really anxious about the team’s defensive schemes. Seven players return on defense, as op-

Aptos High’s Houston Roberts (22) is tackled from behind by a Scotts Valley defender after picking up a few yards during their game at Scotts Valley High. The Mariners enter this year as the defending Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champions, a first since 2005.

Aptos High’s Nikki Hiltz runs the final 200 meters of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championship meet at Pinto Lake in Watsonville. Hiltz returns this year as the defending league champion and Central Coast Section champion.

An Aptos High goalkeeper blocks a shot attempted by Santa Catalina during the first half of the Tri-County Athletic League girls water polo championship at Santa Catalina School in Monterey. Aptos finished last season with 20 wins but were unable to advance to the Central Coast Section tournament.

The Aptos High girls volleyball team comes together to celebrate a point scored against Live Oak during the first round of the Central Coast Section Division III tournament at Aptos High. The Mariners return this season as the defending Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League tournament champions.

posed to just four on offense. “I think the strength is going to be the defense for the first time,” he said. The squad will be on the road to start the season, heading up to Encinal and Oakdale before coming back to face Watsonville in the annual Black and Blue Bowl. Encinal (North Coast Section) and Oakdale (Central Section) were championship contenders in their region and are expected to get to the title game again this year, if not further. “Those two games will be as tough as any team we play all year,” Blakenship said. The cross-country team could also be in line for another championship run. The girls squad not only won the SCCAL title but claimed the Central Coast Section Division III championship. State finalist Nikki Hiltz is back to lead the cross-country squad. She’s coming off a 2011-12 high school campaign that was heavily decorated. Among her accomplishments, she claimed the SCCAL championship in cross-country, won two events Sports Preview on Page 11

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Sports Preview

Continued from page 10

in the SCCAL track finals, won the CCS title in cross-country, had the best time in the girls 1,600-meter run for about a month and ultimately won a CCS and state championship in the girls 1,600-meter run. Joining her are several other standout runners, including senior Jackie Stanger, junior Clare Peabody and sophomore Yulisa Abundis. On the boys side, Jack Rose and senior Jay Ryan are two standouts likely to improve from last year’s CCS meet, where the Mariner boys finished sixth. The girls volleyball team is back with a new leader at the helm. David Faz takes over for the retired Mark Hull.

Faz comes from Los Gatos High, where he coached the junior varsity squad to consecutive undefeated records. He played high school volleyball in Yuma, Ariz., and went to college at Arizona Western University. He’s coached at various levels for 15 years. He’ll try to get the Mariners to the top in his first year with the squad. Aptos lost just two matches in league play, both to Soquel. But it got revenge in the SCCAL tournament championship, sweeping the Knights in three games. Aptos eventually made it to the CCS Division III semifinals before its 2011 run ended.

Aptos High’s Teagan Knight hits the ball back to a Leland High player as teammate Haley Kepler watches during the first round of the Central Coast Section doubles tournament at the Courtside Club in Los Gatos. Knight returns as the defending Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League doubles champion.

Aptos High’s Chloe Tsudama chips onto the green during the first half of the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League golf championship tournament at DeLaveaga Golf Club in Santa Cruz. Tsudama was Aptos lone representative who advanced to the Central Coast Section golf championship.

Both water polo teams are expected to make big moves as well this season. The girls squad had more than 20 wins before being ousted in the championship of the Tri-County Athletic League tournament. If the girls start 2012 like 2011 then it sets up for another special season. The girls team averaged 14.8 goals scored in its first five games last season, including 20 in a home win against Notre Dame. The boys water polo team also had its share of high moments in 2011; they started the season winning their first six games. But they also fell to Soquel in the regular season and the league championship finals. The girls tennis team will try to defend their league championship under second-

year coach Linda Hitchcock. Last season, the Mariners prevailed as a team against every SCCAL challenger and dropped just seven matchups total. Incoming sophomore Teagan Knight is likely to see time as the squad’s No. 1 singles player. Last year, Knight and Haley Kepler teamed up to win the SCCAL doubles title. The girls golf team will try to crack the top spot in the SCCAL. Last season, it had one standout, Chloe Tsudama, who finished in the top five in the SCCAL postseason tournament and eventually qualified for the CCS golf championship.

See the Aptos Sports Schedule on the Calendar of Events pages.

9th Annual Gourmet Grazing on the Green

Cancer charity showcasing local food and wine at fundraising event By Roseann Hernandez Of Aptos Life

The ninth annual Gourmet Grazing on the Green, Food, Wine and Beer Festival is being held on Sept. 15th at the Aptos Village Park. The fundraising event, put on by the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group, assists local cancer charities and cancer research conducted at UC Santa Cruz. The four-hour event will feature a beer garden and 67 booths manned by local chefs and wineries representing the finest winemaking and culinary treats of the region. Participating wineries and breweries include Alfaro Family Vineyards, Muns Vineyard, MJA Vineyards, Hunter Hill Vineyard & Winery, Seabright Brewery and Santa Cruz Mt. Brewing Company. To complement the beer and wine, restaurants such as Café Cruz, Beast BBQ, Crow’s Nest Restaurant and The Whole Enchilada will be serving up small plates to satiate and satisfy. With up to 800 people expected to attend throughout the day, Event Director Jeni Brill said it is the largest fundraising event of its kind in North County. An admission ticket grants attendees an event wine glass and plate for a fun-filled afternoon of grazing. “Once you are in, you graze,” Brill said. “It is hard to get to everything.” Live music will be provided by the Steve Velasquez Trio and Blue Soul Group, with vocalist Anne Watts offering up a mix of jazz, rhythm and blues, funk and Latin. Proceeds will go toward local cancer support and research organizations WomenCARE, Hospice of Santa Cruz County, The Katz Cancer Resource Center at Dominican Hospital, Jacobs Heart Children’s Cancer Support and Services and UC Santa Cruz Cancer Research. Gourmet Grazing on the Green is the third major fundraising event of the year for the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group, which was formed in 1995 by five friends who each had lost a loved one to cancer and wanted to make a difference in the

lives of people living with the disease and support groundbreaking research that may help get the world closer to a cure. Their first fundraiser, the Spring Forward Against Cancer Tennis Tournament, helped bring in $2,000 in donations that year. Since then, the group has raised more than a million dollars, and its three major events, the third being the Spring Forward Against Cancer Gala, help raise awareness and much-needed funding for local cancer groups and cancer research. Brill said the research helps increase understanding of how different cancers work in order to develop better-targeted treatments and prevention. “There is world-changing research going on at UCSC,” Brill said. “A lot of the research we have supported in the past has changed how research is done internationally.” Brill said the recession has taken a toll on sponsorship dollars but individual donations have helped offset the loss. “This year, we are hoping the grazing event will be even bigger than before,” Brill said. “We don’t want to see a decrease in donor funds.” “We want to continue to support our ben-

Gourmet Grazing on the Green is on Saturday, Sept. 15th, from noon to 4 p.m at Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road, in Aptos. Event parking is at Cabrillo College with a shuttle operating between the two locations. For more information visit http://www.sccbg.org.

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Poetry in and on the bo le by Laura Ness For Aptos Life

Winemaker Katy Lovell of Poetic Cellars in Soquel is eagerly anticipating her 18th harvest. It’s her favorite time of year, and although she’s a bit exhausted from her ongoing battle with Lyme disease, and the fact she’s highly allergic to yellow jackets, which tend to swarm around the picked grapes, she’s still very excited about getting all that beautiful new fruit in. Harvest, as it turns out, is the ultimate high for a winemaker. Each year, you only get one chance to get your hands on a new batch of grapes and turn them into something fabulous. Winemaking is both a passion and an artistic calling for Katy, who is an accomplished artist in every sense of the word. Trained as a classical musician (flutist) at Interlochen Arts Academy, Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Bachelor in Music) and USC (Masters in Music), she performed professionally in New York City and Los Angeles for about 10 years. Before entering the wine industry, she made her living as a fiber artist, a craft she still practices today. You can see examples of her beautiful work, along with that of her Mother and sister, all talented fiber artists, in the Poetic Cellars tasting room. Katy received her wine education at UC Davis, and was owner and award-winning winemaker in the Livermore Valley for 12 years (at Rios-Lovell) before acquiring her present oak-studded winery property, which she owns with partner, Joseph Nagele, in the hills above Santa Cruz. She still owns many acres of vines in the Livermore Valley, where she sources much of her fruit from her vineyard on Vasco Road. Not much of a delegator, Katy is involved

in every aspect of the winemaking process, including vineyard management (pruning, tilling, mowing), driving the truck to the vineyard at harvest, picking grapes, sorting, crushing, barrel racking and topping. A whiz on the forklift, she’s passed that skill on to son, Zach, who also knows how to top off and rack barrels. Katy also performs all the chemical analysis, blending, label design and printing. Both her sons Zach, and Brent, as well as daughter Julie, help with bottling and labeling, and Zach is usually the one greeting visitors to the tasting room, although he’s going off to Cal Poly this fall. With a virtual candy store of grapes at her behest, Katy sources 8 varieties from the Livermore vineyard, including Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Mer-

lot, Barbera, Sangiovese, Mourvedre and Zinfandel, and she obtains her Burgundies from the Santa Cruz Mountains, including Pinot Noir from the Regan Vineyard in Corralitos, where she also obtains some righteous Merlot. Her sunny, fruit-driven Chardonnay comes from the Chestnut Hill Vineyard in the Summit Road area, where sunshine is abundant, and so is the acidity: a hallmark of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Try her Livermore Merlot and Santa Cruz Merlot side by side to get a true taste of each region. With such a rich set of yarns from which to spin a tale, you might anticipate an intriguing and educational winetasting experience at Poetic Cellars, and you would be correct. There is something for everyone here, including a great place to picnic. Guests usu-

NEW MODERN APTOS LOCATION 688-2348 | 7000 Soquel Drive ( next to Bunny’s Shoes )

ally find themselves so enamored of all her offerings, they immediately join her WellVersed Wine Club, gaining them access to limited production wines, and the opportunity to purchase futures. Her signature varietal is Mourvedre: a little planted Rhone grape that has become her calling card. It’s intriguingly smoky and haunting, mysteriously laden with ripe red fruits, yet lean, acid-driven and sexy. If you have never tried Mourvedre, make this place a destination. And while you’re there, discover Katy’s unique talent for blending: she loves to weave beautiful blends that marry the unique personalities of each grape. Mantra is a delicious cherry-happy blend of Mourvedre, Syrah and Sangiovese, while Ballad is a smooth crooner of Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Quattrain combines Zin, Syrah, Mourvedre and Merlot, while Serenade blends the suppleness of Syrah with the peppery punch of Cabernet. Each wine is truly bottled poetry, and a collaborative confluence of the passions of Katy and her partner, Joseph. Quite literally, she puts the poetry in the bottle, while he puts the poetry on the bottle, penning the poems that appear on the back labels. Enjoy a relaxed, unhurried wine tasting every Friday through Sunday, from noon til 5pm at Poetic Cellars in the hills of Soquel. Come, taste all the reasons to fall in love at Poetic Cellars, where you’ll enjoy WellVersed Wines for The Romantic At Heart. Poetic Cellars is at 5000 N Rodeo Gulch Drive, Soquel. Please follow the direction on the website, and do not rely on Google maps, GPS, mapquest etc. www.PoeticCellars.com 831-462-3478

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Thankknow You Aptos for your support of our Community Deli - We’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to our neighbors and we appreciate your awareness of how important local support is.

~ Ericka ad Doug Glaum, Proprietors

In Celebration of 3 years service for our customers, we are offering 3 special ways to save!

$3.00 Wine, Bubbles and Beer - Happy Hour 4-6pm Every Day! Create your own tasting with our

great selection. Grab a salad or some cheese and crackers, enjoy our sunny patio under the beautiful redwoods.

Happy Birthday Lunch for FREE!

Bring a friend in on your birthday and when they purchase a sandwich, your sandwich is on us!

Help us spread the word and Save!

Purchase a Palm Deli T-shirt or Sweatshirt, wear it in when you visit and receive $1.00 off your deli sandwich - Every Time!*

BRING IN THIS COUPON for $1.00 OFF your next Sandwich purchase!

The Palm Deli • 3000 Valencia Ave., Aptos • 831-688-Deli (3354) Open 7am Every Day!

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Located in the historic Redwood Village, right across from the Palm Deli. 831.685.8944 | 9099 Soquel Dr. • Aptos

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Remember us for all your flower and gift needs! We always have pre-made bouquets and our famous "Posies-to-Go"! Check out our selection of beautiful home goods and gifts too!

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Off Hwy 1 at Rio Del Mar exit, Aptos Behind Bailey Properties