Pajaro Valley Magazine | Jan. 31, 2020

THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE PAJARO VALLEY

A supplement to The Pajaronian

JANUARY 31, 2020 DATE 00, 2019

Golden Journey Memories from a life of 49ers fandom P4

THE MIXING BOWL

P6

| LOCAL ART P7 | FILM REVIEW P9

MAGAZINE

21 Brennan St, Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076

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Phone: 831.761.7301

EDITOR’S NOTE

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Cover Story

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The Mixing Bowl

s I write this, there are only three days left before the San Francisco 49ers play against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV on Sunday. And no matter how many analysts, writers and friends I hear say the 49ers will win their sixth Super Bowl I can’t quite convince myself that it TONY NUNEZ will actually happen. As a 27-year-old, my lone experience of the 49ers playing in the Super Bowl is marred by heartbreak— they lost 34-31 to the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.

But Steve DuFour, the subject of this week’s front page story, nearly made me a believer. A lifelong fan of the team, DuFour, 86, attended 52 straight Super Bowls before deciding to watch the big game from the comfort of his couch last year.

That means he’s seen every big moment, every swing of momentum and every miraculous comeback, that football’s grandest stage has had to offer. When he was asked who’s going to win on Sunday, he chuckled a bit and very confidently said there was no question his 49ers would.

“The only question is by how much,” he added.

I don’t think I’m willing to jump in on that assertion just yet, but I can’t help but feel a bit more relaxed hearing those words from a man who has seen it all, including the franchise’s five Super Bowl victories. With experience comes confidence. DuFour is that personified. I hope the 49ers play with that same belief Sunday, they’re going to need it.

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Art

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Try This

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Movie Review

A

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

RUZ TRACK C C A LU NT B A S

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FIRST SUNDAY IN FEBRUARY

superbowl LIV

superbowl run RUNS ALONG WEST CLIFF DRIVE WITH SPECTACULAR OCEAN VIEWS

10K • 3K • 1K KID’S RUN FOR MORE INFORMATION (831) 345-9399 • delucch@yahoo.com or santacruztrackclub.com Registration also available on Active.com

10 Cabrillo Gallery 12 Live Music CEO & Executive Editor

Dan Pulcrano Publisher

Jeanie Johnson Managing Editor

Tony Nuñez Contributing Writers

Tony Nuñez Sarah Ringler Tarmo Hannula Johanna Miller Christina Waters Advertising Account Executives

Tina Chavez Lupita Ortiz Jazmine Ancira Design Director

Kara Brown Production

Hon Truong Cover Photography

Tony Nuñez

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

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

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tchavez@register-pajaronian.com Phone:

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JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

3

RED & GOLD 49er fanatic thinks back to Super Bowl trips, San Francisco memories

S JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

teve DuFour does not consider himself a very lucky man.

Against his better judgment, he decided to not renew his San Francisco 49ers season tickets heading into last fall.

He had been a season ticket holder since 1981.

“And then they have a season like this—you can’t make that up,” DuFour, 86, said. “Sometimes you’re not lucky, or you’re pretty stupid. I’m not sure which of those two.”

DuFour figueres his beloved 49ers won’t need much luck when they play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV on Sunday in Miami. Draped in a bright red 49ers sweater and ➝ 12

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BY TONY NUÑEZ LARGE COLLECTION

Steve DuFour goes over his impressive collection of San Francisco 49ers memorabilia in his Watsonville home.

HISTORY PRESERVED

Steve DuFour attended each of the San Francisco 49ers’ five Super Bowl wins along with all but one of the 53 Super Bowls ever played.

REMINDERS

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

photos by Tony Nunez

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THE MIXING BOWL

Salt and pepper fried mushrooms

I

SARAH RINGLER

t’s mushroom season. This little dish is easy and calls for few ingredients. Primarily, it is crispy and salty—a major requirement for popular food.

I returned from a tour of some ancient Silk Road cities in China three weeks ago. This dish kept turning up in different cities and it became the universal favorite of our group of 20 each time it was served.

The little side dusting of Sichuan pepper mixed with salt really adds the spicy, Hot Cheeto touch.

Santa Cruz County is rich in mushrooms and can produce many varieties although it’s getting more and more difficult as areas are closed off and commercial pickers scavenge the woods. I saw a large twopound pack of chanterelles at Costco a few weeks ago and couldn’t help

but wonder whose woods were being cleaned out. As I understand, they can’t be commercially grown. However, like taking apples off a tree, picking them doesn’t kill the organism; they will come back when the weather is amenable. They are one of the choicest local edible mushrooms because of their meaty flavor and easy-to-identify form.

This is a very simple dish but it does involve deep fat frying so, as always, stay by the stove the entire time and make sure the pan you are frying in is firmly on the stove at all times. Splattering oil can make the cooking surface slippery. Clear your frying area of clutter and prepare a strainer over a bowl and a cookie sheet covered with paper towels to drain off extra oil.

This recipe can use any mushroom but will look different

depending on whether you have a round mushroom or a long stringy one. I’m not a real oyster mushroom fan because they contain so much liquid, but they are great for this recipe and more affordable because they can be grown commercially. Also, David Arora, in his “Mushrooms Demystified,” recommends not mixing mushrooms, so going with his vast expertise, just use one variety.

This recipe is from Elaine at chinasichuanfood.com. Potato starch is the magic ingredient that turns the mushrooms very crispy.

I bought Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch, unmodified and NonGMO. It is grain and gluten free.

The second time I made this dish, I forgot to add the egg and it was just as good so it can be vegan, too, as well as vegetarian. ➝9

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JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

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MUSHROOM SEASON This salt and pepper fried mushroom dish is simple

but flavorful and can be made vegan if desired.

ART

The voice of voting

By TARMO HANNULA

Tarmo Hannula

T

RAISING VOICES Maria Gitin talks about the latest exhibit by Pajaro Valley

Arts at the Santa Cruz County Building, “Vote! Your Vote is Your Voice.”

Tarmo Hannula

HISTORY ON DISPLAY “Vote! Your Vote is Your Voice” includes a photo and

text time line titled “Voting Milestones.”

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

he importance of voting in America, and what gets in the public’s way from doing so, is the central topic of a newly installed exhibit at the Santa Cruz County Building, “Vote!

Your Vote is Your Voice/¡Vote! Su Voto es Su Voz." Put on by Pajaro Valley Arts in concert with the Santa Cruz County Elections Department and the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission, the show is curated by Maria Gitin and Judy Stabile. Photographs, paintings, artifacts and a chronological timeline in photos and text are represented.

“Since the founding of this country somebody has been trying to keep somebody else from voting,” said Gitin, a civil rights veteran and speaker. “For example, when it was founded it was only white men of property (who could vote). And then as the timeline continues, they would kick somebody else out. Women, blacks. Every time they thought they were including somebody they would kick somebody out. Native Americans and on and on. And then finally women get the right to vote.”

Paramount in the exhibit is the late photographer Bob Fitch of Watsonville, to whom the show is dedicated.

He is best known for his iconic images of major figures in various civil rights, peace and social justice movements in American history, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez and Dorothy Day. But of equal value are the photos by Fitch of everyday people involved in civil rights movements, on the streets, in classrooms and in the fields, a fact that Gitin said spearheaded “Vote! Your Vote is Your Voice.”

Gitin said she met Fitch years ago in Watsonville where they discovered they had shared memories and experiences as young civil rights workers in Alabama.

“Working directly for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Bob Fitch took photos of people that we both worked with, in voter registration and education in 1965,” Gitin said. “We

envisioned an exhibit that would share these images and stories of the ‘ordinary heroes’ who secured the right vote in a region where their constitutional rights had been violently denied simply because they were black.”

Gitin explores how the 1960s are often portrayed as tumultuous times and one with few leaders.

“However, we met outstanding community organizers in every African American community whether large or small,” she said. “Leaders were important, but it was the nonviolent African American and Chicano activists who elevated some to become leaders and who secured voting rights for black and brown people, for people with disabilities, for all of us.”

For the exhibit, contemporary artists responded to the query: “What does the right to vote mean to me?”

“As many states jockey to limit voter registration, we are grateful to live where voting is both encouraged and accessible,” Gitin wrote.

“We hope that you’ll be inspired by the courageous stands of ordinary people who risked their lives for your right to participate in the democratic process. We encourage you to engage in discussion of who is represented, who is missing and how we can ensure greater racial equity.”

The show also features Jessica Carrasco, Myra Eastman, Jane Gregorius, Hedwig Heershop, Matt Herron, Lucien Kubo, Jaime Sanchez, Sandra Takashima Shaw and Peggy Snider.

Also highlighted in the show is a book by Gitin, “This Bright Light of Ours: Stories from the Voting Rights Fight.” She will give a book talk Feb. 6 at the Downtown Branch Library, 224 Church St., at 2 p.m.

The exhibit, which wraps around the hallways of the third floor (with one painting on the first floor), runs through April 3.

A reception, free to the public, will be held along with the First Friday Art Tour Feb. 7 from 5-8 p.m. www.thisbrightlightofours.com.

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THE BUZZ Watsonville is in the Heart exhibit opening “Watsonville in the Heart: Honoring and Preserving Our Roots” will officially open Saturday at the Watsonville Public Library, 275 Main St. This exhibit features firsthand family accounts, vintage photos, artifacts and local history depicting the struggles, vitality and contributions of the early Filipino immigrants who came to the Pajaro Valley in the 1920s and 1930s. A free community gathering on the library’s second floor will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. For information visit toberaproject.com.

Rainbow Families Craft & Play Day Join Diversity Center Santa Cruz County at Ocean View Park, 102 Ocean View Ave., Santa Cruz, Saturday from 1-3 p.m. Meet new friends, make cards and celebrate the county’s LGBTQ+ families.

To RSVP and for questions contact director@diversitycenter. org. For information on the center’s ongoing programs visit diversitycenter.org.

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

2nd Saturday on the Farm

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The Agricultural History Project will host its monthly 2nd Saturday on the Farm event on Feb. 8. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave., Watsonville. This month’s theme is “Hearts & Flowers on the Farm.” Bring friends and family to help plant spring flowers, enjoy a puppet show, decorate sugar cookies and various farm activities such as wooden cow “milking,” a tractor simulator and more. Admission is free. For information call 724-5898 or visit aghistoryproject.com.

February Sip & Stroll Capitola Village is hosting its fourth Sip & Stroll on Feb. 8. Enjoy this special shopping experience, strolling through unique shops while sipping featured local wines and beers in historic Capitola Village. All proceeds from the event will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County and two other local non-profits to be determined. Each ticket comes with a commemorative wine glass and 12 tickets good for 12 pours (2 oz. each). Many of the participating businesses will be running specials that day and some will also have snacks to pair with the wine and beer. Buy tickets at eventbrite.com.

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

FOOD

DRINK

Pour Taproom

Hotel Paradox: cocktails

On a recent Friday night in downtown Santa Cruz, my friend and I finally walked into Pour Taproom, a JOHANNA place that I had often passed by on MILLER my many treks along Pacific Avenue.

The unique thing about “Pour” is in its name: you pour your own drink from a self-serve system on the wall. It is similar to places like Yogurtland in that you pay by the ounce, not the cup/glass.

Pour began in Asheville, North Carolina and has locations in eight other East Coast cities. Santa Cruz is the company’s first West Coast location.

When we arrived, we showed a helpful young woman at the door our IDs, and she swiped our credit cards into a computer. The computer was linked to our wristbands (not unlike those used at music festivals and theme parks).

The wristbands gave us access to about 70 beers, wines, hard ciders and nonalcoholic options. We scanned them over a selection on the wall and it “unlocked” the lever so we could pour.

Does this sound a bit too high-tech? Maybe it is, but I loved how the system allows you to taste a number of drinks before deciding on filling an entire glass. Each time you pour, a screen pops up telling you exactly how much you’ve spent. For four small tastes and one full glass of beer, I only spent about $10.

In addition, the screens give first-time beer pourers tips on correct technique.

Many of the beers, wines and hard ciders at Pour are from local companies, and the imported options are a touch above the brands you usually find at bars/ restaurants.

Pour also boasts a full-service kitchen, which we skipped this time as we had already enjoyed a meal at Betty Burgers down the street.

I will be back to pour more.

Pour Taproom: 110 Cooper St., Suite 100 B. For information visit pourtaproomsantacruz.com or call 535-7007.

Seeds of Time is a cocktail served at Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean St., in TARMO Santa Cruz. The drink includes MakHANNULA er’s Mark whiskey, Blackberry syrup, lime, Bourbon, a sprig of rosemary and other goodies. While my wife enjoyed this concoction, I had their Arnold Palmer, an alcohol-free iced tea and lemonade drink. They were both satisfying, especially on a cold evening with our sofa seats right beside their gas fireplace in a quiet cocktail lounge.

We've been going to the Paradox for years and have always enjoyed the rich mix of people coming through, like a family from Australia the other night. On warm evenings there are tables outdoors near the pool and we've found that atmosphere to be relaxing.

FUN Forest of Nisene Marks

The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park is in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Aptos. It has more than 40 miles of hiking trails and fire roads through 10,223 acres of mixed terrain. Recently my wife Sarah and I went there for a short trail hike and were refreshed by how easy it was to get there, how easy the trail was and the bounty of lovely nature. Everyone we passed had a friendly smile and a warm greeting. Within minutes we were met by a flowing stream clutched by dripping ferns, fallen trees and patches of river stones. I've never liked the term “getaway” because it sounds like a prison break, but for a calming change from the day-to-day chores, work and such, head east into the park for a refresher with Mother Nature.

MOVIE REVIEW

A beautiful film with an unclear message

By JOHANNA MILLER

J

apanese director Makoto Shinkai made a name for himself when he released “Your Name” in 2016. The fantasy-drama about two teenagers who swap bodies achieved global critical acclaim and became the highest-grossing Japanese animated film of all time.

Shinkai followed this success with “Weathering With You,” released in Japan in July. It made its way to the Bay Area a couple of weeks ago.

I was eager to see the film to witness what Shinkai and the team at CoMixWave Films had done.

There was plenty to love about “Weathering With You”— just not as much as I expected.

The story follows a 16-year-old boy named Hodaka who runs away from his rural hometown to Tokyo, which is experiencing abnormal amounts of rain. He hears

the legend of a “weather maiden,” who controls the forecast, bringing sunshine wherever she goes.

“Weathering With You” is full of lovable characters, especially in Hodaka's disgruntled yet kind employer Suga. The man hires Hodaka to work with the excitable Natsumi to write articles for his publishing company.

Hodaka and Natsumi investigate the “weather maiden,” who turns out to be a teenager named Hina, who lost her parents and now supports her younger brother.

Hodaka, Hina and her brother decide to start a business: Hina makes “house calls” to city dwellers who are desperate for sun.

This sets off some wonderful montages, with the film studio’s gorgeous animation on full display. I often wax poetic about the beauty of hand-drawn animation— something that western film now

seems to avoid but that Japan continues to embrace. The work put into depicting every single raindrop hitting dark city streets—or those streets themselves, with their many shops, crisscrossed electrical lines and neon signs—is incredible. I found myself leaning forward in my seat, eager to soak in every detail.

The humor scattered throughout “Weathering With You” is witty and well-timed, and possibly my favorite aspect of the script. Whether it was a wacky car chase or an alley cat’s transformation into a fat house cat over time, the script shined when it was aiming for laughs.

There were a handful of dramatic moments that stood out: You could feel the tension in the theater as Hodaka, scared with hands shaking, aims a shotgun at a team of detectives.

Unfortunately, the message of the film falls flat. And that may have been due to the fact that its main character never quite wins you over.

Hodaka has a big heart and is fiercely loyal to Hina. But his reasons for running from home were never believable. And his

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SALT AND PEPPER FRIED MUSHROOMS Ingredients 1 pound oyster mushrooms, remove the tough ends 1 egg (optional) 1 cup potato starch 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 to 3 cups high heat oil for frying 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons ground Sicuan peppercorn

Directions Remove the tough ends of the oyster mushroom and then tear

into edible strips. Wash, drain and wrap in a dishtowel to dry out.

Sprinkle potato starch, salt and pepper over dry mushrooms. Toss to coat.

Beat the egg until well mixed. Pour over starch and mushrooms. Mix well by tossing. After mixing, all the oyster mushrooms should be coated with a thin layer of starch mixture.

Mix salt and ground Sichuan peppercorn in equal parts.

Heat around two cups of oil in wok over medium-high to almost high heat. Stay near the stove at all times. When oil is hot, slide a handful of mushroom strips into the oil.

They should immediately start sizzling and soon rise to the surface.

They are done when the mushrooms are light golden brown.

Serve immediately with Sichuan peppercorn and salt.

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

THE MIXING BOWL

decision at the end of the film, which affected his entire country, came off more selfish than anything. I never could fully support the boy’s choices.

Whatever message the film was trying to send didn’t matter, because all I felt was anger towards Hodaka, who (I’m assuming) you are supposed to be happy for. There have been villains in film who were more sympathetic and understandable.

“Weathering With You” also seems unable to break away from the storytelling mold of “Your Name.” The second half suffered from Shinkai falling back on the former film’s narrative, which did not work for this story.

Overall, however, the film was incredibly beautiful and I found myself enjoying it more often than not. I am eager to see what Shinkai and his team will create next.

3/5 stars Rated: PG-13 Runtime: 111 minutes Now playing in select theaters.

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ART

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Johanna Miller

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WILD ART A display made from cardboard and paint by artist Dag Weiser is now on display at the Cabrillo Gallery.

‘Extraordinary Ordinary’ Cabrillo Gallery’s first exhibit of the year on display through Feb. 28

By JOHANNA MILLER

A

PTOS—Cardboard is a material that nearly everyone has at their disposal. Often used in packaging and shipping, it is usually broken down to recycle or saved to reuse.

But cardboard can also be full of possibilities for artists. This is apparent at “Extraordinary Ordinary,” Cabrillo Gallery’s first exhibit of the year. Five artists are currently showing their large

cardboard-based pieces throughout the gallery.

Gallery Director Beverly Rayner said that cardboard art has been on her radar for a while, but that the gallery has never hosted an exhibit solely dedicated to it.

“You can do so many things with [cardboard],” Rayner said. “It’s the absolute cheapest material… but can be transformed into some amazing things.”

Artists Taro Hattori, Jason Schneider, Ann Weber, Dag Weiser

and Scott Fife are featured in “Extraordinary Ordinary,” and each has taken a different approach to the medium.

Weiser, who Rayner dubbed a “local cardboard wizard,” has installed a piece that takes up an entire section of the gallery, depicting a myriad of creatures such as crows, butterflies and bees, flowers and even skulls sticking out of Thanksgiving turkeys.

Every year for Halloween, Weiser works for months to create

WINE

Tasting Privileges Inside the new Ser Winery tasting room in Aptos By CHRISTINA WATERS

O

Johanna Miller

HEADS UP Cabrillo Gallery Director Beverly Rayner installs two pieces by

Scott Fife for “Extraordinary Ordinary,” now on display. such displays—but usually takes them down right after the holiday.

This year, they were saved specifically for “Extraordinary Ordinary.”

East Bay artist Taro Hattori is showing “Obscenity,” a large

Cabrillo Gallery, in building 1000 at 6500 Soquel Dr., Aptos, is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Monday and Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. It will be closed Feb. 14 and 17. For information visit cabrillo.edu/services/artgallery.

FOOD+DRINK

Looking at the current tasting flight of five wines, I saw some of the best vineyards in the state, including Tondre Grapefield and Wirz.

As wine manager for the booming BDV back in 2003, Walsh has dealt with 55 growers all over California.

“Wirz was one of the first vineyards we sourced back then,” Walsh told me.

Those years with the expanding winery gave her depth in the state’s wine industry and long-standing relationships with important grape growers.

The new tasting room, she said, “is crucial for my model. I’m creating a direct-to-consumer product. Having a tasting room in my community, I can represent our specific interests, have events and food pairings, and also it will help to build a wine club. You can’t do that without a tasting room.”

The winemaker said she is delighted to be part of the Aptos Village population. Her neighbors are Cat + Cloud, and David Kinch’s new Mentone across the street.

“I love how it’s so local—you can feel the energy,” she says.

I fell in love with the mineral-driven, ultra-crisp 2018 Nelson Ranch Dry Orange Muscat, one of Walsh’s current favorites, and took home a bottle of the hauntingly floral white wine. Ser’s eye-catching label with an abstract wave motif makes complete sense.

“Our coastal wines are influenced by the Pacific Ocean, and I'm a surfer,” she said.

A dozen varietals—including a Cabernet Pfeffer, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Graciano, as well as several choice whites and a rosé— currently wear the Ser label.

Ser Tasting Room, 10 Parade St. Suite B, Aptos. Thursday-Sunday, 12 noon-6 p.m. Tasting flights $15 for five wines. serwinery.com.

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

sculpture depicting a crashed kamikaze airplane. Hattori brought the plane to the gallery in pieces and assembled it in a corner. He also created a (working) harpsichord from cardboard, now on display in the middle of the gallery, attached to a bicycle.

“Walking into the exhibit… It almost feels like you are walking into someone’s really weird living room,” said Program Coordinator Victoria May. “It is really a world on its own.”

“Extraordinary Ordinary” will run until Feb. 28. The gallery will host an opening reception on Saturday from 4-6 p.m. Hattori and Weiser will be giving artist talks at 5 p.m.

Gallery staff is also organizing interactive activities to be offered the course of the exhibit’s run.

Rayner said they hope to work with Cabrillo Makerspace and the school’s engineering department.

“I think people are excited,” Rayner said. “This kind of exhibit is great for art students… to see such incredible art made of such everyday material. It’s inspiring.”

ne more tempting reason to visit Aptos Village is the new Ser Winery tasting room. Retro chandeliers and polished wood decor spacious tables for group tasting and future food events—there is much to like about the sleek new showcase for Nicole Walsh’s intelligent wines.

The tall, lean winemaker never sleeps. She is a soccer mom, surfer, property manager of Randall Grahm’s San Juan Bautista vineyards, head winemaker for Bonny Doon Vineyard (BDV), and now the hands-on brains behind the spacious tasting room for her own wines. I sip a crisp 2017 Wirz Sparkling Dry Riesling perfumed with nectarines and admire the wallsized GPS map of the Monterey Bay and coast ranges, with important vineyards flagged so that tasters can understand what they’re drinking. Walsh is happy to go into deep background with inquiring tasters, talking vineyard management, old vines, and terroir. Even a week before its official opening, the tasting bar— created by Walsh’s fireman husband from vintage wine barrels—was full.

“The idea for the mural came from telling people over the years about microclimates, and the growing needs of varietals. Now I can show them where certain grapes are grown, and why,” Walsh said.

The flights offered for tasting will rotate among the dozen varietals Ser has currently in release.

“In a couple of months, I’ll have a new rosé. And a Vermentino from Arroyo Seco. And then I’m doing a Vermouth.” My ears perked up at the mention of an artisanal, botanically inflected Vermouth. “I’ll begin with fortified orange muscat, herbs, and some bittering agents,” she said. “It will be a cocktail all by itself. Maybe over ice.”

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JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

RED & GOLD REMINDERS

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looking over his impressive collection of football memorabilia in his Watsonville home on Tuesday, he could not help but feel overwhelming confidence his team would bring home its sixth championship.

“Obviously, the 49ers are going to win—there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “Only question is by how much.”

DuFour—the former owner of Central Electric Company in Watsonville—might have called it quits on his season tickets but his love for the Red and Gold and the game of football remains as strong as a 350-pound defensive lineman.

The lifelong 49ers fan will be watching his team play his favorite sport at home surrounded by his friends and family, an experience he’s still getting used to after attending all but one of the previous 53 Super Bowls.

He decided to sit out Super Bowl LIII last year. His deteriorating mobility played the biggest factor in him staying home.

“There are so many people that go to the Super Bowl and you’re all on top of each other,” he said. “It’s a tough job to go to the Super Bowl physically as well as monetarily.”

The comfort of his couch, he said, will have to do from here on out.

“I just want to see [the 49ers] win,” DuFour said, “and I think they will.”

Every Super Bowl holds a special place for DuFour, but none compare to the first in 1967. Then dubbed the “AFL-NFL World Championship Game,” Super Bowl I pitted the Green Bay Packers and the Chiefs in the Los Angeles Coliseum. The Packers, led by legendary coach Vince Lombardi, now the namesake of the Super Bowl trophy, beat the Chiefs 35-10.

DuFour and his late older brother Tom, who lived in Chico, and two of his friends made the trek to Southern California. The fans were sparse and the tickets only cost $12—DuFour said late NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle was walking the parking lot selling tickets to raise the attendance— but the memories, as fuzzy as they might be, were rich. He still has his ticket from the inaugural Super Bowl. It’s framed in

SAT

2/1

APTOS ST. BBQ 8059 Aptos St, Aptos

Kyle Rowland, 6 p.m.

BLUE LAGOON 923 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

R3V!v@L, 10 p.m.

SUN

2/2

Andy Santana, 6 p.m.

MON

2/3

Scott Miller, 6 p.m.

TUES

2/4

Mojo Mix, 6 p.m.

WED

2/5

James Murray, 6 p.m.

THU

2/6

A.C. Myles

20/20 Vision Tour, 8:30 p.m.

FRI

2/7

James Murray, 6 p.m.

Girls Night Out, 9 p.m.

BRITANNIA ARMS 110 Monterey Ave, Capitola

CAPITOLA WINE BAR 115 San Jose Ave, Capitola

Michael Gaither Duo, 7 p.m.

THE CATALYST NIGHT CLUB 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

The Marcus King Band, 9 p.m.

THE CATALYST ATRIUM 1011 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

Xavier Omär, 9 p.m.

Lavender Fields Band, 7 p.m.

Jauz, 9 p.m.

Tycho, 9 p.m.

The Green, 8 p.m.

Flor, 8 p.m.

CILANTROS 1934 Main St., Watsonville

KPIG Happy Hour, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

CORRALITOS CULTURAL CENTER 127 Hames Rd., Corralitos

Laura February Strange & Friends, 7 p.m.

THE CREPE PLACE 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz

Pat Hull, 9 p.m.

Space Heater, 9 p.m.

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

AfrOWaWa, 9:30 p.m.

John Michael, 6 p.m.

THE FISH HOUSE 972 Main St, Watsonville

Blues Mechanics, 8 p.m.

KUUMBWA JAZZ 320-2 Cedar St., Santa Cruz

Proteus Trio, 8 p.m.

J. Lately, 9 p.m.

KPIG Happy Hour, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Acoustic Open Jam, 3 p.m.

pristine condition with the game’s program.

“That’s probably the only ticket I have that might sell for a couple hundred bucks,” DuFour said.

He can only recall bits and pieces of the other Super Bowls and the hundreds of 49ers games at Candlestick Park and Levi’s Stadium. He remembers the frigid Detroit weather in the days leading up to the 49ers’ first Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals—his favorite of San Francisco’s five titles—and the exact opposite during their second Super Bowl win over the Bengals in Miami.

“That was a fun place to watch a game,” he said.

He said the game grew into a bigger spectacle from year to year.

“Every year they added something new outside of the game,” DuFour said. “More performances, more

Open Mic Night, 7 p.m.

Dinner, Jazz & Cocktails, An Evening with El Duo, 8 p.m.

9 p.m.

Yuji Tojo, 8 p.m.

Papiba & Friends, 6 p.m.

FishHook, 6 p.m.

Nite Creepers, 8 p.m.

Stanley Jordan, 7 p.m.

booths, more games, more things to do with your kids...That’s why people just go by the thousands.”

Jeff Denson, Romain Pilon and Brian Blade, 7 p.m.

His memories of the 49ers’ historic moments are a bit clearer.

“The Catch,” the famous passing

SAT

2/1

MICHAEL’S ON MAIN 2591 Main St, Soquel

Joint Chiefs, 8:30 p.m.

MOTIV 1209 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz

Thomas Young, 9:30 p.m.

MOE’S ALLEY 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz

Soulwise, 9 p.m.

PARADISE BEACH 215 Esplanade, Capitola

Live Music TBA, 2 p.m.

SUN

2/2

MON

2/3

Grateful Sundays, 5:30 p.m.

TUES

2/4

WED

2/5

Open Mic Acoustic Jam, Led Kaapana, 7:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

The Takeover, 9:30 p.m.

Live Music TBA, 6 p.m.

2/6

Girls With Guitars, 7:30 p.m.

Hi Ya! by Little John, 9:30 p.m.

Back Uhuru Etana, 9 p.m.

Live Music TBA, 2 p.m.

THU

FRI

2/7

Walk the Dead, 8:30 p.m.

Eden Roc, 9:30 p.m.

Spooky Mansion, 8:30 p.m.

fThe Mighty Diamonds, 9 p.m.

Live Music TBA, 6 p.m.

RIO THEATRE 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz

THE SAND BAR 211 Esplanade, Capitola

Touch’d Too Much, 9 p.m.

SANDERLINGS 1 Seascape Resort, Aptos

SHADOWBROOK 1750 Wharf Rd., Capitola

Claudio Melega, 7 p.m.

UGLY MUG 4640 Soquel Ave., Soquel

Emily Joyy & Adrian Ruiz, 6 p.m.

Ken Constable, 6:30 p.m.

Open Mic, 5:30 p.m.

Emma Valentine, 6:30 p.m.

ZELDA’S 203 Esplanade, Capitola ZIZZO’S COFFEEHOUSE & WINE BAR 3555 Clares St., Capitola

game-winning touchdown catch against the New Orleans Saints in the 2012 playoffs—also send him down memory lane.

“There are things I thought I

completely forgot about that seem clear as day when people spark the right memory,” he said. “They’re small memories, but they all mean so much.”

The past might be fuzzy but the present is picture-perfect. DuFour can name nearly every current 49er, their position and what type of impact they’ll have on Sunday’s game. He reads and watches as much media coverage as he can, and has played out the Super Bowl in his head multiple times—the 49ers have won each time.

His favorite current player is quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, even though many members of the media are still unconvinced he can win the Super Bowl.

“I think he’s going to be OK,” DuFour said. “He seems like the kind of individual that can handle it. Everyone said, ‘he only threw eight passes, what kind of quarterback is that?’ Well, if you’ve got

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

touchdown from Joe Montana to the late Dwight Clark, is etched in his mind. And the more recent highlights—the final game at Candlestick and Vernon Davis’

runners that are running well, why throw at all?”

DuFour was born in Watsonville in 1933. He was 14 when he first watched the 49ers play live.

His father, Alfred, brought him to a game at Kezar Stadium, which served as the team’s home field until the Candlestick was built in 1960. He doesn’t remember who played in the game, but he does recall Kezar being a “madhouse.”

Fans would throw food and drinks at opposing players, people would get in fights over seats and the parking was horrible.

“And then Candlestick came around, that place was a palace for the time,” he said.

DuFour was a good football player in his own right. He starred at Watsonville High School, and went on to play at San Jose State University. He had dreams of making it to the NFL. “But then I saw what it takes to be the best player in college, and the best player in the NFL,” he said.

“It was a bit of reality.”

So he went on to serve three years in the Navy, but not before achieving what he called the “highlight” of his life: marrying his wife Joan, a fellow 49ers fanatic who died in 2006.

He was hoping he would be stationed in a scenic location such as Hawaii, Japan or Alaska. He ended up in Alameda on a radar ship that cruised the same mundane 120mile line along the California Coast for 30 days at a time.

“It was just boring,” he said. “I’m not a very lucky man.”

Yet he was lucky enough to have two kids, Patty and Sharon, who gave him three grandkids and a pair of great-grandkids. He shared his love for the 49ers with both daughters and Patty is still an avid fan today.

For a time DuFour had 14 season tickets which he would distribute to friends and family each Sunday. They would all pack into a small bus and make the trek to the Bay Area to watch the team play.

“It was a really fun time—we’d make a full day of it,” he said.

“That’s what I really love about football and the 49ers. The memories it gives you.”

He hopes the 49ers will give him another come Sunday.

13

PHOTO GALLERY

14

Tarmo Hannula

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 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.

CAST OUT A fly fisherman tests his luck in the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz.

Tarmo Hannula

COOL CRUISE Two dogs settle in for a ride inside a bike basket on West

Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz.

Photograph by Elyse Destout

SKY SCENE

Dramatic clouds loom over the Pajaro Valley.

Tarmo Hannula

FLASHY TUNES The Great Morgani continues his

tradition of sporting wild outfits as part of his musical street performances in downtown Santa Cruz.

JANUARY 31- FEBRUARY 6, 2020 | PAJARO VALLEY MAGAZINE

Credit

Truck detail and shadow, Watsonville.

Roger Vail

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