Pajaro Valley Magazine | Jan. 10, 2020

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE PAJARO VALLEY

A supplement to The Pajaronian

DATE 00, 2019 JANUARY 10, 2020

New Year, New Budget

Financial planner gives advice on managing money in 2020 THE MIXING BOWL P5 | ‘SCOVILLE UNITS’ P6 | MOVIE REVIEW P14

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JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

I come to you

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Brian Orozco

Functional Aging Specialist

Senior Health & Fitness Programs

726-6493 Call Today! 831-

Now Open • New Location

434 Main St. Watsonville, CA 95076 831-726-6493 • www.fftcfitness.com

s I inch closer to my 30s, I’ve begun to realize that “adulting,” as my Millennial peers say, is TONY NUÑEZ complicated and boring. I’ve started doing my taxes, weighed and selected insurance plans, devised goals for savings accounts and have looked into making investments—mostly small ventures that I might be able to afford. All of them were a pain at first, but over the years they’ve become the recurring, mundane tasks that my parents told me they would be.

I figured out all of this over the last three or four years with the help of my wife, family and friends. I guess that is a fine and normal way of figuring out finances and future planning, but after reading this week’s front page story on Jacob Young Financial, I realize I could have saved myself some cash and stress if I would have spoken to a professional. Jacob Young makes a good point in saying that there are certain tasks a person might be able navigate without the help of a financial professional. But there are other financial issues that might require advice from a person who has the proper training and experience.

When people are serious about losing weight, we hire a trainer or nutritionist. When we need work done on our car, we go to a trusted mechanic.

When we have a concern about our health, we search for advice from a doctor.

It’s easy to understand why we might not seek the same help for our finances—it’s not fun for someone to tell you to stop spending so much money on food, drinks or fun—but I’d say it’s essential for my generation to search for some good, professional advice about planning for our future. As Young said, “Eat your financial vegetables.”

MAGAZINE

21 Brennan St, Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076 Phone: 831.761.7301

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Cover Story

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The Mixing Bowl

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Performing Arts

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Try This

10 Live Music 12 Photo Gallery 14 Movie Review CEO & Executive Editor Dan Pulcrano Publisher Jeanie Johnson Managing Editor Tony Nuñez Contributing Writers Johanna Miller Todd Guild Tony Nuñez Sarah Ringler Lisa Jensen Advertising Account Executives Tina Chavez Lupita Ortiz Jazmine Ancira Design Director Kara Brown Production Johanna Miller Cover Photography Tarmo Hannula

Published by WatsNews, LLC, Watsonville, CA. Entire contents © 2019. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form prohibited without publisher’s written permission.

TO PLACE AN AD Email:

tchavez@pajaronian.com Phone:

831.761.7301

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JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Tuscany Escape TuscanyCulinary Culinary Escape Escape Tuscany Culinary

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photo by Tarmo Hannula

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

NEW YEARS FINANCE

MONEY MATTERS Kevin Newhouse, an investment planning assistant for Jacob Young Financial, runs through his daily duties at the company’s office in Watsonville.

Securing a financial future F Watsonville’s Jacob Young Financial offers advice on money management

BY JOHANNA MILLER

or many, the New Year feels like a fresh start.

Resolutions are written and promises made to make big changes for the future.

And most of these decisions— whether it’s traveling more or

starting a membership at a local gym—have one thing in common: they all depend on financial stability.

Jacob Young is President and Chief Financial Planner at Watsonville’s Jacob Young Financial.

He and his team answer peoples’

questions on all aspects of their financial life—from money saving tips to tax efficiency.

“There are a lot of investment managers out there,” Young said.

“They talk about things like stocks and bonds… which is good, but there are other ➝ 10

THE MIXING BOWL

photo by Tarmo Hannula

H

SARAH RINGLER

ere’s a warm and wintry dish to fit the season. It’s a traditional English dish called, uncomfortably, Toad-in-hole, or in shorthand, but no less odd, Sausage Toad. It’s basically sausage, or other kinds of meat, cooked in a Yorkshire pudding batter and served with onion gravy and vegetables.

According to Alan Davidson’s “The Oxford Companion to Food,” pudding batters were very popular

in the early 18th century. One-dish meals are convenient to serve. Cheap cuts of meat, poultry of all kinds including pigeon and organ meat were used, but never, gratefully, toads. It’s unclear where the name came from, but sources that I researched generally attributed the name to the British propensity, like the Chinese, to give food odd names like Bubble and Squeak for mashed potatoes and cabbage, Spotted Dick, a pudding made with flour, sugar,

eggs and raisins, and Angels on Horseback, hot hors d’oeuvres made with an oyster wrapped in bacon.

This particular recipe is upscaled by author, restaurant owner, and chef Yotal Ottolenghi. He is very imaginative and has won many awards for his books, restaurants and delis. He often adds a Mediterranean twist to his recipes, probably due to his birth in Jerusalem. Rosemary, in this dish, is native to the Mediterranean and also is ➝7

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Mediterranean flavors in a British casserole

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PERFORMING ARTS

Celebrating an artistic legacy Tandy Beal & Company pays tribute to musical director Jon Scoville

BY JOHANNA MILLER

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photo by Chunyi McIver

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

J

on Scoville has always been eager to open his mind to new music.

Growing up as a minister’s son in Connecticut, Scoville learned the craft by singing in church choirs and around his family’s home piano. But in secret he was also listening to genres like jazz and early rock ’n roll. He learned to play the guitar at age 16, immersing himself in folk songs and country and western. And after moving to California, Scoville learned to play bass and experimented with funk, the music of northern India, Korea, Indonesia and more.

“The more [music] I heard, the more of it I liked,” he said. “Honestly, as long as something is well-played, I don’t care what kind it is.”

On Jan. 18 and 19 Tandy Beal & Company will present “Scoville Units,” a special multiarts performance in celebration of Scoville, who is the company’s co-founder and longtime musical director. The show will feature 32 dancers and musicians and two filmmakers, all paying tribute to Scoville’s wide range of work, at the Crocker Theater in Aptos.

For Tandy Beal, who is Scoville’s partner both in work and in life, the show is long overdue.

“Jon is one of the most prolific, focused artists I’ve ever known,” she said. “But he is quiet about himself.

He doesn’t push himself or his name onto others. People usually don’t know him unless they’ve worked with him directly.”

That is the reason, said Beal, that she and her company are putting together “Scoville Units”

SOUND AND MOVEMENT Tandy Beal and Company will present a special multi-arts performance celebrating

the work of musical director Jon Scoville on Jan. 18 and 19 at the Crocker Theater in Aptos. (named after the scale of spiciness for peppers).

“He is a true unsung hero,” Beal said. “We need to celebrate him.”

Scoville admitted he was initially unsure about the show, resisting the idea of it focusing on him.

“I thought, Tandy is the wellknown one, the public knows her,” he said. “But she kept pushing for

two years… and I don’t know what came over me, but I finally agreed.”

Scoville’s work has not only inspired dances for Tandy Beal & Company, but also international choreographers. It has been used all over the world on concert stages, inside circus tents and art galleries, on the radio, for videos, commercials and more.

Beal and her group sifted through thousands of Scoville’s works, meanwhile contacting old friends and artistic collaborators who might want to be involved with the show.

One such performer was Lorin Hansen, Scoville’s former student who helped him start a samba group in Salt Lake City—which she ➝ 07

SCOVILLE

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RECIPE

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commonly found around here in gardens and parks.

Sourdough bread adds to the flavor. The entire dish, including the gravy, is all baked in a very hot oven. I cut the recipe in half and made it in an 8-inch square pan.

Gravy: 2 tablespoon high heat oil like sunflower oil 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 1 onion, 6 ounces, thinly sliced 2 rosemary sprigs 5 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken stock ¼ cup pale ale Salt and pepper Batter: 2 large eggs ½ cup milk 1/3 cup pale ale 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 7/8 cup sifted all-purpose flour

BALANCING ACT

Jon Scoville (left) and Tandy Beal are the Co-Founders of Tandy Beal & Company, which has created original shows in dance, theatre, circus art and music since 1974.

1 teaspoon kosher salt Meatballs: 3 ½ ounces sourdough bread without crusts cut into small cubes – roughly 2 cups 1/3 cup milk ¾ pounds ground pork 2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped ½ onion, grated 3 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest Salt and pepper 3 tablespoons cooking oil 2 small rosemary sprigs Heat the oven to 475 degrees.

Make the gravy first by putting the oil, butter, onions, rosemary and balsamic vinegar in a medium sized cast iron frying pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring a few times until onions are browed and soft.

Whisk flour, stock and beer in a bowl until smooth. Add ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix well and stir into the frying pan.

Return to the oven and bake about 20-25 minutes until gravy is thick

and rich, stirring a few times while baking. While baking gravy, you can start the batter. When gravy is done, remove rosemary sprig, and keep warm.

Next make the batter by putting eggs, milk, beer and mustard in a medium bowl and whisk or beat until mixture is foamy, about 1 minute. In another bowl, whisk the flour and salt.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in onefourth of the egg mixture whisking until flour is all mixed in. Then add another quarter and do the same thing. Do two more times until all the egg mixture is mixed in the flour and whisk until there are no lumps but not longer. Do not overmix. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.

To make the meatballs, soak the bread in the milk and let sit for about 10 minutes. Grate the onions, zest the lemon rind, and chop up the parsley and garlic. Use your hands to mush up the bread until you have a smooth paste. Mix bread mush, ground pork pancetta, onions, zest, parsley and garlic

with ½ teaspoon of salt and ground pepper. Use your hands to knead and mix the ingredients. I use the Asian method of gathering up the mixture and forcefully throwing it in the bowl a few times. Form into 6-8 balls.

Spread 1 tablespoon of cooking oil into the bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. Add the meatballs and bake for about 10 minutes. Put the meatballs on two layers of paper towel to absorb some of the liquid and pour any remaining liquid into the gravy.

Wipe the bottom of the pan clean.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same baking pan and return to the oven for 10 minutes until the pan is very hot and beginning to smoke.

Quickly pour in the batter and place the meatballs and rosemary sprigs in to the batter.

Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes without opening the oven until completely done. Lower the heat to 400 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more until batter has puffed up and is golden. Serve with gravy.

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

TOAD-IN-HOLE

For information on “Scoville Units” and visit tandybeal.com. To order tickets visit cabrillovapa.com or call 479-6154.

contributed

now leads. Hansen has won numerous awards in dance, including being named the best Brazilian dancer in the U.S. She will fly to California from Brazil for the show.

“Lorin told me: ‘We owe so much to Jon, there is no way we’ll miss this,’” Beal said.

Other performers will include local musician Ivan Rosenblum, who will play a suite of Scoville’s piano works; Jeff Gallagher, who will perform clarinet pieces; San Jose’s elite hip-hop dance choreographer Chris Banaga; competitive ballroom dancers Jeremy Pilling and Marinda JamesHeskett and more.

Watsonville-based filmmaker Denise Gallant and Guggenheim winner Ellen Bromberg will also be involved, screening films that go along with Scoville’s pieces.

“It’s going to be a fabulous show,” Beal said. “I think both art aficionados and those who are new to it will enjoy themselves.

Whatever kind of music, dance, art you are into… there is something for everyone. It’s like an entire

festival of the arts in one show.”

“Scoville Units,” will be held Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan 19 at 2 p.m. at Cabrillo College’s Crocker Theater, 6500 Soquel Drive in Aptos. Tickets are $40 for general admission, $35 for seniors and $25 for students. Discount tickets for groups of 10 or more are available by phone.

“My approach is to always find something to make your ears wider,” Scoville said. “Music is the most convenient and beautiful way of doing that.”

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TRY THIS

THE BUZZ Woodwinds of Winter The second recital of this season’s Spotlight on the Symphony Recital Series will feature a quartet of the Santa Cruz Symphony’s principal wind players: Laurie Siebold, flute; Bennie Cottone, oboe; Karen Sremac, clarinet; and Erin Irvine, bassoon performing a variety of quartet and trio music for woodwinds. Takes place at the Samper Recital Hall, 6500 Soquel Dr., Aptos. (Lower Cabrillo College campus.) Date & time: Sunday at 2 p.m. Price: $49. Tickets available at cabrillovapa.com or 479-6154.

2nd Saturday on the Farm This recurring family-friendly event focusing on agriculture includes games, activities and visits from farm animals. Learn how to “milk” a wooden cow and try out the kid-friendly tractor simulator. Every month the event’s theme changes; this month is “Pets on the Farm.” Date & time: Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Price: Free. For information visit aghistoryproject.org.

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Banda El Recodo in Watsonville

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Legendary Mexican band Banda El Recodo will make a stop at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

First formed by clarinetist Cruz Lizárraga in 1938 in Mazatlán, in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, the band, officially named Banda Sinaloense el Recodo de Don Cruz Lizarraga, has been going strong ever since with an ever-evolving lineup of musicians. The group specializes in banda, a style of music from Mexico featuring various wind instruments, primarily brass and percussion. Banda el Recodo has been instrumental in forming and popularizing the genre over its 80 years. Tickets available on ticketon.com. Location: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Date & time: Sunday, 5 p.m. Price: $45.

Traditional Mexican music by youth The Watsonville Public Library invites the community to come enjoy some traditional Mexican music played by young local musicians. This is an all-ages event.

Date & time: Jan. 14, 6-7:30 p.m.

Price: Free.

A weekly column that celebrates local businesses — especially eateries, watering holes, coffee shops and the like.

FOOD

FOOD

Cafe Ella: Mañana Panini

Zachary’s Restaurant

I’m not a fan of small breakfast. I don’t like to eat a yogurt parfait or fruit salad with my coffee. I like something that fills me up and keeps me satisfied until deep into the afternoon. So when stopping by TONY Cafe Ella the other day for a morning meal, I asked NUNEZ for something a little hearty. Their suggestion: La Mañana Panini, a sandwich with a farm fresh scrambled egg, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese and a choice of bacon, diced ham or spinach and basil.

Like I said before, I like a breakfast that fills my belly, so I went with a combination of all three options.

The lady at the counter looked at me like I had two heads when I asked for this. I understood her befuddlement after digging into the panini, which, to my surprise, I had to split over breakfast and lunch because of its enormousness. The hefty combination of meat, cheese and greens made for a delicious, savory start to the day that will bring me back to the cafe. For those that like small breakfast or lunch, they have plenty of options that might leave you satisfied—their morning wrap or fruit parfait should be at the top of your list.

Cafe Ella is at 734 East Lake Ave. It is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also call in your order at 722-0480.

FUN ‘Uncut Gems’ What do you get when you mix Adam Sandler, large-stakes gambling, trance-inducing music, the NBA and New York City’s “Diamond District?” No, a 25-to-life prison sentence is not the right answer in this case. The right answer: Josh and Benny Safdie’s unflinching masterpiece “Uncut Gems.” After etching a small foothold in the just-off-mainstream world of film with their 2017 hit “Good Time,” which stars Robert Pattinson, “Uncut Gems” firmly lands the directing duo in the conscious of the movie-going community and popular culture at-large.

Much like “Good Time,” “Uncut Gems” is a gritty, anything-can-happen-at-any-time flick that has real consequences—big and small—for the questionable decisions its characters make. There’s an ever-growing feeling of dread that comes with watching a Safdie brothers’ movie, and in “Uncut Gems” the score from composer Daniel Lopatin, also known as Oneohtrix Point Never, augments that sentiment by a million. It’s almost unfair for me to talk about this movie, because it was tailor-made for me and other basketball-crazed, Sandler-loving folks that gather in bunches and talk over one another about how the NBA rigged Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Sorry, Lakers fans, you know this is true.

One of the best places in TODD the county to GUILD have breakfast is Zachary’s Restaurant, which is tucked into the south end of Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz.

Zachary’s has been in business since 1985, and has established itself as a morning-time mainstay for locals. While there is often a wait, it is never long and the service is excellent.

Many people wait outside for their name to be called, which is a fun place to watch the passing swarms of eclectic crackpots and counter culturists that populate the city.

I adore the sourdough pancakes, which for some reason is a very uncommon find in the world of American breakfast places. I have only found them at one other place in the U.S., and that was in a tiny joint in Hawaii.

Thinner than typical flapjacks, sourdough pancakes boast a perfect combination of sour, sweet and chewy found in good sourdough bread. I usually get them with a side of grilled Aidell’s smoked chicken-apple sausage and eggs.

The home fries are the best I’ve had.

Also try the coffee cake of the day, which is always perfectly baked and goes great with the excellent, free-flowing coffee.

Zachary’s also serves lunch, with options such as burgers, sandwiches and salads.

While there, you can check out Streetlight Records, just a few doors down on Pacific Avenue. It is one of the last record stores in existence.

819 Pacific Avenue. TuesdaySunday from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Visit zacharyssantacruz.com for a menu.

THEATER

Theater festival celebrates 25th anniversary Five-week event returns tonight to downtown Santa Cruz STAFF REPORT

S

STORIES COME ALIVE The Santa Cruz County Actors’ Theatre’s “8 Tens @ 8” festival returns tonight to the

Center Stage Theater in downtown Santa Cruz.

internationally-renowned, with well over 200 entries every year from around the world.

The 16 award-winning plays will be presented as an “A” and “B” night, eight 10-minute plays on each night, in rotation.

Evening performances will run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., and matinees on Saturday and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $32 for general admission and $29 for seniors/ students. Special ticket packages

are available to see any “A” and “B” night showing throughout the run of the Festival.

“Our 25th season offers a wide variety of comedy and drama,” Chandler said. “They are plays with heart, conscience, and humor.”

The 2020 Festival roster includes:

“A” NIGHT • “Life on Land” by Tom Sime.

Director: Gerry Gerringer • “The Argument” by Seth Freeman. Director: MarNae Taylor • “More Than Stink” by Brian Spencer. Director: Jim Schultz • “The Winter” by Lori Londigan.

Director: Nat Robinson • “Waking Up” by Gail Borkowski.

Director: Wilma Chandler • “Vanishing Borders” by Elyce Melmon. Director: Buff McKinley • “Stranded Traveler” by Eric Thomas.

Director: Kathie Kratochvil ➝ 11

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

photo by Jana Marcus

anta Cruz County Actors’ Theatre is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its acclaimed 8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival, which will be held Jan. 10-Feb. 9 at the Center Stage Theater in downtown Santa Cruz.

The annual 10-minute play festival is one of the most popular events of the Santa Cruz theatre season. The festival stages 16 award-winning plays from its 2019 international playwriting contest, shown in repertoire over the fiveweek festival.

Founded in 1985, Actors’ Theatre has a long history in the greater Santa Cruz area’s theatre community, known for its productions of contemporary, cutting edge theater and new plays. The company also offers two scholarships each year to drama students at Cabrillo College.

“Actors’ Theatre is now the longest-running and most respected short play festival in the United States,” said Artistic Director and Festival founder Wilma Marcus Chandler. “We have proudly kept in touch with many of our winning playwrights and have seen them go on to have plays produced in larger venues, knowing it all started for them here in Santa Cruz.”

Every summer, Actors’ Theatre holds an international playwriting contest, judged by a select group of local writers and directors. The winning plays are then produced into fully staged productions for the January Festival. The contest has become

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FINANCE

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factors to consider. Everything is connected. Our goal is to bring all those things together.”

Young has been in the financial planning business since 1996.

He moved to the area in 2000 and eventually started his own company.

In Young’s opinion, not everyone needs to hire a financial planner. In fact, if someone has the time and skills to do it themselves, he suggests they go for it. But getting help is always an option.

“As an example… I can do certain work around my house. I can mow my lawn,” he said. “But there are some things I don’t want to leave to chance, so I will hire a professional. I might be paying a bit more, but I know it’s going to be done right.”

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

SIZING DOWN SPENDING

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The building blocks of a secure financial future start with budgeting and saving, Young said. This could be as easy as cutting back on very small things.

“People don’t always look at their budget realistically,” he said. “You might think you only go to Starbucks once in a while… but if you look closely at your bills, it might be a lot more.”

The average individual, Young said, should be saving about 10 percent of their salary. Whether through an online bank or by keeping a safe of physical money, saving is key.

Saving money can also be accomplished through your work.

Many employers offer plans which place a portion of every paycheck into savings. This type of automation can be incredibly helpful, Young said.

“Most people tend to spend what they make,” he said. “But if there’s an automatic withdrawal, it’s not up to you to save that money. If it’s not coming directly to you, you won’t spend it.”

RISK AND REWARD Jacob Young Financial offers advice on financial investing—that is,

SAT

1/11

SUN

Quique Gomez Free 6-8p

APTOS ST. BBQ 8059 Aptos St, Aptos BLUE LAGOON 923 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz BRITANNIA ARMS 110 Monterey Ave, Capitola

1/12

Kid Andersen & John Blues Boyd Free 6-8p

MON

1/13

Blind Rick Free 6-8p

TUES

1/14

Mojo Mix Free 6-8p

WED

1/15

Little Jonny Lawton Free 6-8p

Karaoke 9-12:30a

CAPITOLA WINE BAR 115 San Jose Ave, Capitola THE CATALYST 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

T-Bone Mojo Free 6-8p

Y&T w/ James Durbin $26/$30 8p

Black Flag w/ the Linecutters $20/$25 9p

KPIG Happy Hour 5:30-7:30p

Preacher Boy Free 6-8p

Karaoke 9-12:30a

Pennywise w/ Adolescents, Guttermouth & more $25/$30 7:30p

Ski Mask the Slump God SOLD OUT 9p Leif Vollebekk w/ Rebecca Foon $14/$16 9p

Hippo Happy Hour 5:30-7:30p

Acoustic Open Jam 3-5p

CROW’S NEST 2218 E. Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz

1/17

Alex Lucero & Friends 8p

Merkules $16/$20 9p

CILANTROS 1934 Main St, Watsonville

THE CREPE PLACE 1134 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz

FRI

=

THE CATALYST ATRIUM 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

CORRALITOS CULTURAL CENTER 127 Hames Rd., Corralitos

1/16

Comedy Night w/ Chree/Retro Dance Party Free 9p

Funk Night w/ Ed G 9p

The Box: Gothic/ Industrial Free 9p

THU

Open Mic 7-10p

Eric Morrison & the Mysteries w/ Ghost Man & more $5 9p Stormin’ Norman Live Comedy & the Cyclones $7 9p $7 9:30p

THE FISH HOUSE 972 Main St, Watsonville

Greyhound 8p

KUUMBWA JAZZ 320-2 Cedar St, Santa Cruz

Sin Sisters Burlesque: Disney $20-$40 8:30p

‘If you set goals, with realistic expectations, you’ll be in good shape.’

—Jacob Young putting your money into a certain asset in the hopes it will grow into a larger sum. Investments can reap rewards in the long term, but Young warns people to take precautions. Especially since financial markets are constantly changing.

“Really, it comes down to your personality,” Young said. “How much risk do you feel you can take, so you’re not panicking if things fluctuate? Some people invest in things that had good [tax] returns last year, and they think it’s going to stay the same. But every dog has its

Funk Night! w/ Space Heater $6 9p Olde Blue $5 8p

Jeremy Pelt Quintet $33.60/$38.85 7p

day. Nothing is guaranteed.”

This is why Young recommends people focus primarily on saving and managing their taxes correctly.

“Planning ahead will always be more important than investing,” Young said. “If you set goals, with

Yuji Tojo $3 8p

Dinner, Jazz and Cocktails Free 9p

DJ Soulciter Free 9p

Skypark $5 8p

Nigel & Clive $6 9p

Pamela Rose & Terrence Brewer $26.25/$31.50 7p

realistic expectations, you’ll be in good shape.”

TROUBLES WITH TAXES Young said yearly taxes are

SAT

MICHAEL’S ON MAIN 2591 Main St, Soquel

1/11

SUN

1/12

MON

1/13

Ten O’Clock Lunch Band Grateful Sunday & more $10 8p Free 5:30p

MOTIV 1209 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz MOE’S ALLEY 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz

Katdelic $10/$15 8p

Tommy Castro $25/$30 3p

PARADISE BEACH 215 Esplanade, Capitola

Vinny Johnson 2-5p

Keitg Wieland Trio 2-5p

TUES

1/14

WED

THU

1/16

FRI

1/17

Cripple Creek Open Mic Acoustic Jam Free/$5 7:30p

Sver $18/$20 7:30p

Grateful Bluegrass Boys Broken Shades Free 5p $10 7:30p Fishhook $8 8:30p

The Takeover 9:30p

Hi Ya! By Little John 9:30p

Libation Lab w/ King Wizard & Chief Transcend 9:30p

Eden Roc 9:30p

Sage Francis, SA-Roc & more $20/$25 8p

Dreaming Ghosts, Return to Nagoya & more $10/$15 8p

Erin Avila 6-9p

Glen Bransford 6-9p photo by Jana Marcus

RIO THEATRE 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz

1/15

How Not to Die $10 6:30p

THE SAND BAR 211 Esplanade, Capitola SANDERLINGS 1 Seascape Resort, Aptos

Now & Then Trio 8-11p

SEVERINO’S BAR & GRILL 7500 Old Dominion Court, Aptos

Knee Deep 8-11:30p

Don McCaslin & the Amazing Jazz Geezers 6-9p

The Messiahs 8-11:30p

SHADOWBROOK 1750 Wharf Road, Capitola

Claudio Melega 7-10p

Ken Constable 6:30-9:30p

Joe Ferrara 6:30-9:30p

UGLY MUG 4640 Soquel Ave, Soquel

Open Mic w/ Steven David 5:30p

County Actors’ Theatre is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its annual festival. Plays beging tonight and run through Feb. 9.

PLAYS

VINOCRUZ 4901 Soquel Drive, Soquel

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• “Uncle Nutty’s Final Days” by William J. Royce. Director: Daria Troxell

ZELDA’S 203 Esplanade, Capitola

where people make the most mistakes in planning their finances.

“Our nation’s tax system is unbelievably complex,” he said. “If you earn more, you pay more tax… but if you earn too much, it can take away a deduction. It creates

ACTING CHOPS The Santa Cruz

more income you didn’t previously report.. so you’re taxed at a higher rate.”

Young has seen people sign up for all sorts of pre-taxed accounts and plans, ones promising large returns and immediate

To learn more visit jacobyoungfinancial.com.

“B” NIGHT •“Knots” by Robert Moulthrop.

Director: Brian Spencer •“The Memory of Us” by Mary Caroline Rogers.

Director: Andrew Davids •“Counting Pedestals” by Carlos Jerome. Directors: Noel Warwick & Suzanne Schrag •“Why God Made Beggars” by Steve Koppman. Director: Marcus Cato •“The Fish Pond” by Joe Lauinger. Director: Cathy Warner •“Florida” by Steven Doloff.

Director: David Halper •“The Next Ivan Sharansky” by Jim Geoghan. Director: Hannah Eckstein •“Press Play” by Seth Freeman.

Director: Miguel Reyna For a full calendar and information visit sccat.org. To purchase tickets visit sccat.org or brownpapertickets.com or call 1-800-838-3006.

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

benefits.

“They’ll think it’s an open bank they can use whenever they want… and they won’t know their mistake until they get their yearly bill,” he said.

Young advises that people determine personal goals, and strategize their tax plan accordingly.

“Ask yourself what you are saving for, what is important to you,” he said. “It is one thing to accumulate money—it's another to accumulate it in the right way.”

To the team at Jacob Young Financial, knowledge is the most important tool in becoming financially secure. But getting people involved isn’t always easy.

“The biggest problem is a lack of interest,” Young said. “It’s not fun to learn about finance… But there are things you’re going to have to do even though it’s not fun. Eat your financial vegetables.”

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PHOTO GALLERY

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Have a recent photo you’d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to tnunez@pajaronian.com or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the name of the photographer.

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PAINTED SKY The sun sets over the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf on the first Friday evening of the year.

—photo by Tarmo Hannula

MIRROR EFFECT

Photography by Elyse Destout

window at the Seacliff State Beach Visitors Center in Aptos.

FUN RIDE These dogs take in the smells and view from a

moving car on Freedom Boulevard. photo by Tarmo Hannula

LIGHT AND DARK Shadows are cast over a mural on West

Lake Street in Watsonville.

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

photo by Johanna Miller

LOOKING GLASS Light shines through a stained glass

photo by Roger Vail

A canoe rests on the shore of a pond filled with seasonal rains in Watsonville.

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MOVIES

Film Review: ‘Little Women’ A beloved family tale is updated in Greta Gerwig’s exuberant retelling

By LISA JENSEN

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Columbia Pictures

JANUARY 10 -16, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

T

here have been so many adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel “Little Women” that it’s hard to imagine anything new to bring to yet another retread of the material. Then along comes Greta Gerwig, hot off her impressive directing debut Lady Bird, to add her own contemporary spin. Actually, feminist principles (as well as lifelong spinster Alcott’s suspicion of marriage) have always been inherent in the story, if perhaps not expressed so obviously as in Gerwig’s version.

But the most interesting thing Gerwig does is combine the adventures of Alcott’s fictional March sisters with the journey of Alcott herself in getting her story published. Through Alcott’s surrogate, Jo—the budding writer in the March family—Gerwig inserts the author’s early career writing “scandalous” magazine stories for money, and her tribulations with her patronizing male publisher. This provides a solid counterpoint to the familiar domestic tale, and helps to ground the non-linear careening of flashbacks to March family life that inspires Jo to write her first novel.

Gerwig begins the movie after the March sisters have gone their separate ways. Jo (Saoirse Ronan, who is absolutely wonderful) is living in a boarding house in New York City, trying to get her stories published. Meg (Emma Watson), the eldest, is married and raising her own small children. Amy (Florence Pugh), the youngest, is in Paris, studying art, as companion to the sisters’ rich, ferocious Aunt March (a delicious Meryl Streep).

As their individual stories continue, a roundelay of flashbacks and memories sketch in the details

SISTER STRONG The March sisters discuss their futures in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women.” of the shared backstory we know.

The girls grow up in Concord, Massachusetts, with their fragile sister Beth (Eliza Scanlen), and their warm, pragmatic mother Marmee (Laura Dern)—who teaches them charity and generosity while their father is off fighting in the Civil War. Their lives change with the arrival of Laurie (Timothée Chalamet), grandson of their wealthy, reclusive neighbor Mr. Laurence (Chris Cooper).

Laurie becomes an honorary March as they all come of age together; he and tomboyish Jo become best friends. (In one very funny scene, he also crashes their Girl’s Club, in which the sisters mimic gentleman’s clubs by sporting trousers and pretending to smoke pipes and sip brandy.) Chalamet is as coltish, handsome, and mischievous as the part requires, and Jo’s initial rejection of him as a romantic partner makes as little sense as ever. (Chalk it up to Alcott’s distaste for matrimony.)

But none of the movie’s romantic

relationships are quite persuasive, even while faithful to the novel.

Jo’s literal pursuit of shy Professor Bhaer (Louis Garrell) in the finale is exhilarating, but feels unearned because the last scene they’d had together (about an hour of screen time earlier) ended discordantly. If there was an interim scene of rapprochement, it didn’t make the final cut. When Laurie begins to court Amy, we feel, as she fears, that she’s just a substitute for Jo, and, sadly, we are never convinced otherwise.

Pugh (last seen in Midsommar) is a formidable actress; her icy turn in the movie Lady Macbeth (not based on the Shakespeare play) a couple of years ago was mesmerizing. But with her deep voice and enormous self-possession, she often seems too mature and sophisticated for Amy, the youngest and, initially, the flightiest of the March sisters.

Meanwhile, the elliptical time frame makes sense at first, as scenes of the sisters’ giddy and

riotous youth play off against their more adult concerns, while the bonds between them deepen. But it becomes more difficult to keep track of what’s happening—especially toward the end, when the big emotional payoffs are somewhat dampened by temporal confusion.

Still, the movie exudes so much exuberant and heartfelt goodwill that it’s impossible to dislike. And the sly bracketing story of Jo vs. her condescending publisher (a wellcast Tracy Letts) builds to a satisfying girl-power crescendo that surely would have pleased Alcott herself.

LITTLE WOMEN *** (out of four) With Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet and Meryl Streep. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig.

A Columbia Pictures release. Rated PG. 135 minutes.