Pajaro Valley Magazine | October 23, 2020 by Weeklys

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE PAJARO VALLEY

OCTOBER 23, 2020

Traditions Adjust

A supplement to The Pajaronian

Watsonville Film Festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day of the Dead celebration goes virtual P4

MIXING BOWL P6 | HOME OF THE WEEK P8 | PHOTO GALLERY P10

OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

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MAGAZINE

21 Brennan St, Suite 18, Watsonville, CA 95076 Phone: 831.761.7301

CEO & Executive Editor

Dan Pulcrano Publisher

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Erik Chalhoub Contributing Writers

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Tiffani Petrov Lupita Ortiz Design Director

Kara Brown

11 4

Cover story

Home of the week

Mixing Bowl

Design Layout

Hon Truong Cover Photography:

John Speyer

October 21 - 28

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PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020

Erik Chalhoub Johanna Miller Tarmo Hannula Kate Russell Sarah Ringler

OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

John Speyer

IN HONOR Guitarist Uriel Mendoza and singer Jovita Molina record a song together for the Watsonville Film Festival’s virtual Day of the Dead celebration, which kicks off Oct. 28.

A NEW WAY T TO CELEBRATE

By JOHANNA MILLER

Watsonville Film Festival kicks off virtual observance of Day of the Dead

he Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday observed across the globe every year in which families honor their deceased relatives with food, drink and various celebrations. For the past few years, the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) has organized a special community Day of the Dead celebration in the City Plaza, complete with music, food, altars, arts and crafts and an outdoor screening of the Disney/Pixar film “Coco.” But with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the organization has had to switch gears. “We knew we had to find a way to celebrate any way we could,” said Consuelo Alba, executive director of WFF. “Everything is different in 2020, but the beautiful Día de Muertos traditions must continue.” “Fiesta Virtual de Día de Muertos,” organized by WFF, Pajaro Valley Arts (PVA) and Mariposa Arts, will kick off Oct. 28 with five days of online activities, ➝ 6

John Speyer

LIFE AND DEATH Sahar El Khatib and Andrés Ortiz perform inside Pajaro Valley Arts for

Watsonville Film Festival’s upcoming virtual Day of the Dead celebration.

is featured in the “Fiesta De Día De Muertos” Coloring & Art Activity book. —Artwork by Ome Garcia

FAMILY FUN Local artist Nessa Ledesma and her son have filmed two bilingual tutorials on sugar skull face painting and paper marigold crafting to do at home.

PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020

John Speyer

BEST FRIEND This piece by local artist Ome Garcia

FIESTA VIRTUAL DE DÍA DE MUERTOS 2020 Live virtual events: Oct. 28: Live Calaca painting class with Gilroy-based artist Nacho Moya. Oct. 29: Day of the Dead poetry featuring internationally-renowned poet Lucha Corpi, local author Adela Najarro and Los Escritores del Nuevo Sol/Writers of the New Sun from Sacramento. Hosted by Najarro and fellow Cabrillo College instructor Shirley Flores-Munoz, and PVA. Oct. 30: Mi Casa Es Tu Casa Panel: Conversation about the upcoming Day of the Dead exhibition presented by PVA, focusing on the film “Common Ground.” Guests include Carmina Eliason, artists Lucien Kubo and Judy Stabile.

OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Nov. 1: A celebration with music and dance, including a special dance performance by Esperanza del Valle, songs by local musicians, and short videos made by filmmakers featuring the intimate process of creating ofrendas for loved ones.

Ongoing activities: Films: Two locally made films (“Macaria” and “Common Ground”), an award-winning film from Mexico (“Music for the Ultimate Dream”), a documentary (“Artbound: Day of the Dead”), and some animated films will be free to view. Coloring & Art Activity Book: A 28-page bilingual book featuring artwork by Trinidad Castro, Kathleen Crocetti, Paul De Worken, Juan Fuentes, Ome Garcia, Rosa Hernández, Nessa Ledesma, Cindy Nalleli Rodríguez, Augie WK and Gerardo Zambrano. Community Engagement: Families are invited to take photographs of their home celebrations and send them to the WFF team by Oct. 26. They will be shared during the special celebration on Nov. 1.

Johanna Miller

Oct. 31: Panel with Esperanza del Valle: Celebrating their 40th Anniversary, Director Janet Johns and dancers reflect on their history of celebrating dance and culture in Watsonville.

CELEBRATION Watsonville Film Festival Executive Director Consuelo Alba shows off the organization’s new Day

of the Dead coloring activity book, which was created with Pajaro Valley Arts and other local groups.

DAY OF THE DEAD

including screenings of both locally produced shorts and other films, virtual music and dance performances, poetry, panels and discussions, and hands-on tutorials. Everything will stream free at watsonvillefilmfest.org. “We have been working very hard behind-the-scenes on this program. It’s important, especially now, to highlight the incredible talented and creativity in this community,” Alba said. On Oct. 16, local artist Venessa Ledesma and her son were at PVA on Sudden Street filming bilingual tutorials on sugar skull-themed face painting and constructing paper marigolds, flowers traditionally used on Day of the Dead altars, or “ofrendas.” Ledesma’s painting tutorial offers two options: A full-coverage meant for when you are with your shelter-in-place family, and another half-coverage for when you are in public wearing a face mask. “I really enjoy doing it, seeing

the transformation of little kids into little sugar skulls,” she said. “And it’s fun to see them excited about it… It helps them feel connected to the culture.” In addition to the virtual activity lineup, WFF has also created an official “Fiesta Virtual de Día de Muertos” Coloring & Art Activity Book, with support from PVA. Ten local artists are featured in the 28-page book, which in addition to black and white pieces you can color, also includes word searches, history and writing activities. “[The book] really was a community effort,” Alba said. “We are very excited for people to see it.” Families can purchase the book, as well as gift one to a local farmworker family, by visiting watsonvillefilmfest.org/amigos. All proceeds will support the organization. The Watsonville Film Festival also invites families to take photographs of their own Day of the Dead ofrendas, face paint and outfits. Send them to joanne@watsonvillefilmfestival.org by Oct. 26 and they will be

shared during a special virtual event Nov. 1, which will also include a dance performance by Watsonville’s own folkloric dance group, Esperanza del Valle. “Fiesta de Día de Muertos” coincides with PVA’s annual art exhibition “Mi Casa es Tu Casa,” which also opens Oct. 28. “[It] was all about creative synergy,” said PVA Board Treasurer Judy Stabile. “While the formats have changed, ‘Fiesta de Día de Muertos’ and ‘Mi Casa es Tu Casa’ will, as in the past, be joyful celebrations of community.” Ledesma said that finding ways to celebrate Day of the Dead during the pandemic is important, not only as a way to stay connected to living family members, but also with those who have passed. “It can remind people of the struggles of our ancestors, what they went through… and appreciate what we do have,” she said. “And seeing it all through such a beautiful, colorful celebration… it’s very meaningful.”

HOME OF THE WEEK

Are you Overwhelmed right now? We are here for all your Real Estate needs

Submitted photo

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Inside, there are views from many windows of the seven-acre, oak-studded property that has room for animals and hobbies. The property is secured by a gate, and has its own fruit tree orchard. The home, built in 1991, is listed at $1,495,000 by Coldwell Banker Realty. For information, visit tinyurl.com/y4b4z3vy.

PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020

Country privacy with easy access

We hope you are all doing well during the most confusing and scary times of our lives. Please be safe and sane and when you feel it’s overwhelming, practice patience and kindness and find some peace in it all. Change is difficult. - The house rental playing field has changed with new laws regarding tenants’ rights that are not landlord-friendly and, to date, state and federal officials have offered little relief for rental property owners. - The current fire is impacting our challenging housing market. Supply will be at a critical level with great demand. - The current COVID-19 crisis is changing our industry constantly, as we learn more about it. So, if you’re overwhelmed it’s natural in this environment. Some of you might be wondering about the current housing sales market. We can tell you this: For those of our clients who have decided to sell for one reason or another, the market remains strong. After listing the homes for our clients we have had healthy responses from buyers that have resulted in multiple offers and quick sales, much to the delight of the property owners. If you have any questions regarding current rent regulations or to consider selling your property, we would be happy to assist you.

THE MIXING BOWL

Asian-Mediterranean Fusion Short ribs

OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Tarmo Hannula

FUSION These richly flavored short ribs were served at a reelection fundraiser in Harlem for former President Obama in 2011.

By SARAH RINGLER

his Asian-Mediterranean fusion dish was served to President Obama and his wife Michelle at the Red Rooster Harlem Restaurant for a reelection campaign fundraiser in 2011 by star chef Marcus Samuelsson. It was the first time Obama had been to Harlem since his election and the neighborhood was thrilled. The $30,800-a-plate fundraiser however brought some mixed reactions from the Harlem neighborhood where the median income was $25,000, according to Daphne Chen of the Columbia Daily Spectator, although huge crowds of people still showed up.

Chef Marcus Samuelsson was born Kassahun Tsegie in Ethiopia in 1971. His mother died in a tuberculosis epidemic when he was 1 and he was later separated from his family during the Ethiopian Civil War that lasted from 1974 to 1991. He and his sister were adopted by a family in Sweden where they were raised. He attended the Culinary Institute in Gothenburg, Sweden, apprenticed in Switzerland and Austria, then came to the United States where he became the youngest chef at age 24 to receive a threestar review from the New York Times. He continues to teach, open restaurants, show up on TV shows, cook and write cookbooks like “The Red Rooster Cookbook” where this recipe was printed.

This is not the first recipe that I have featured that mixes Mediterranean and Asian flavors. Mediterranean natives like red wine, thyme and bay leaves mellow out the salty soy sauce, zingy ginger and sweet plum sauce. I really liked how the sauce incorporates the vegetables by pureeing them and providing flavor and thickening. Rarely does a home cooked meal have such a deep and pleasing flavor. I served the ribs with cornbread and spinach.

Obama’s Short Ribs 3 pounds beef short ribs Kosher salt and pepper 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled, trimmed and chopped 2 celery ribs, trimmed and chopped 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, smashed and minced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 inch of peeled ginger root, chopped 1/2 cup red wine 3 cups beef stock 1/2 cup plum sauce 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs parsley 2 bay leaves This meal takes about 3-4 hours to prepare. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat meat dry and rub with kosher salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. When oil shimmers, add the short ribs and cook each side of the ribs for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a plate. In the same pan, add onions, carrots, celery, lemongrass, garlic and ginger. Season with salt and cook until the onions soften in about 5 minutes. Add the wine, cook and stir to soften any hard bits that may have formed on the pan. Add broth, plum sauce, soy sauce, thyme, parsley and bay leaves. When the broth mixture is simmering, add the short ribs and juices. Cover and put into the oven for 2 hours or more until meat is very tender and pulls off the bone with a fork. Remove meat from the cooking liquid and skim off the fat with a metal spoon or a fat separator. Dispose of the fat and strain the liquid and vegetables through a sieve. Save the liquid and the sieved vegetables. Take the bay leaves and thyme stems out of the vegetables. Put them in a food processor with 1 1/2 cups of the liquid and run until you have a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return sauce to a pan and heat with the short ribs. When heated, serve with cornbread and steamed spinach.

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PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020

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PHOTO GALLERY Have a recent photo youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to echalhoub@weeklys.com or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 18, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the name of the photographer. LAZY DAY Several sea lions

lounge on the rafters of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

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IN FORMATION

Santa Cruz Police sharpen their motor skills as they prepare to participate in a two-week motorcycle course in Alameda.

Tarmo Hannula

OCTOBER 23 - 29, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Account Executive 831.761.7314 | tpetrov@pajaronian.com

SPRUCING UP A group of

painters do prep work for a paint job of Salon Santa Cruz in Pleasure Point on Portola Drive.

Tom Brezsny’s

REAL ESTATE OF MIND

Provoking thought since 1990

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HOOD SKULLS An old truck in the Freedom Safeway

parking lot is all set for Halloween.

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PA I D A D V E R T O R I A L

PAJARO - 29,2020 PAJAROVALLEY VALLEYMAGAZINE MAGAZINE | | OCTOBER OCTOBER23 23- 29, 2020

Continuing the conversation… Trying to recap this crazy year now that we have six months of post-Covid real estate under our belts. Not an easy task in 450 words. We left off at the end of March when shelter-in-place was in effect, nonessential businesses were shut down and brokers were laying off employees. April: The world learned to live with masks, hand sanitizer, social distancing and zoom meetings. A surprising number of buyers still wanted to see houses, even during the pandemic. People had more time on their hands and the existential threat of the pandemic encouraged them to rethink their lives. Stimulus monies went out and economists debated what the recovery would look like. May: The curve flattened and parts of the lockdown were lifted. Agents could prep and photograph properties again. Open houses were off limits but homes could be shown with proper protocols. Homes held off the market in March/April hit the MLS. More agents began experimenting with Virtual Open Houses and the expanded use of Matterport 3D tours. The virtual future of real estate had arrived. June: Interest rates dropped and stocks rose. Tech companies encouraged employees to stay home. Showings by appointment only increased the number of new leads for internet agents. Social justice protests peaked in June while Covid continued. There were more listings, showings, multiple offers and sales. Surprisingly, the median price returned to normal by the end of the month. July: The market ramped higher as rates continued to drop, stocks rose and the tech sector stayed strong. Sales increased and inventory decreased. A new migration pattern emerged as home buyers, now able to work from home, started leaving urban areas in search of bigger homes more suited to their new, essential lifestyles. Some of the highest sale prices ever in Santa Cruz were recorded. The median price hit $1 million for the first time. August: The number of showings and offers increased. Agents began using digital apps to manage showings. There were more pre-emptive and noncontingent offers than ever before. Active listings decreased as competition for each new listing increased. The CZU Complex fires started in mid-August and smoke was another reason for buyers to wear masks. The median price jumped $50K to another new record. September: Fires and their aftermath continued. Out of town buyers continued to flock to Santa Cruz. Showings and sales increased. Stocks stayed strong and rates stayed low. The median price inched up to another new record. The inventory hit historic new lows for the fall. Signs of buyer fatigue grew while loan delays and appraisal issues also increased. Next Week: What’s ahead? October and the rest of Q4...

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