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Goldies 2005 Intro The Santa Cruz Top 11 Survey Results Goldies 2005 Survey Results You picked them to win a 2005 Goldie. We wrote about why they are such great hits. Reviews compiled by Mike Connor, Linus Eureka, Peter Koht, Benji Langley, Sarah Phelan and Steve Sanchez Best Food & Drink Bagel 1. Bagelry 2. Noah's 3. Bagel Café Bakery 1. Gayle's 2. Buttery 3. Kelly's Barbecue 1. Cole's 2. Bruno's 3. Armadillo Willy's Breakfast 1. Walnut Avenue Café 2. Zachary's 3. Silver Spur Burger 1. Jack's 2. 99 Bottles 3. Saturn Café Burrito 1. Taqueria Vallarta 2. Tacos Morenos 3. Planet Fresh Cheap Eats 1. Charlie Hong Kong 2. Taqueria Vallarta 3. Asian Rose Chinese 1. O' Mei 2. Little Shanghai 3. King Schwan Coffeehouse 1. Caffe Pergolesi 2. Lulu's 3. SC Roasting Company Dessert 1. Chocolate 2. Buttery 3. Gayle's French Fries 1. Saturn Café 2. Jack's 3. Carpo's Grocery Store (locally owned) 1. Shopper's Corner 2. New Leaf 3. Staff of Life Photograph by Stephen Laufer Mural Fresh: It's not just the produce at New Leaf that looks good. New Leaf Best Natural Food Store Since the end of World War II, the American diet has taken a dramatic turn toward the artificial. The majority of food products that you can find in a typical supermarket bear little resemblance to anything found growing in nature. Cheese in a can? Kool Aid crystals? Crisco? Even a simple commercial fruit like the tomato is put through chemical hell before arriving on aisle nine. (The vast majority are picked while green, gassed with ethylene to turn them red prematurely, then shipped so that they ripen by the time they arrive at the supermarket. Yuck.) New Leaf Community Markets have taken an entirely different approach in providing food for your table. All five of their locations feature organic fruits and vegetables, sustainably harvested seafood and organic meats. Not only do these products more healthy for you body, they also taste much better than their commercial counterparts. In this era of agribusiness, shopping at natural foods stores like New Leaf is proof positive that eating can be a revolutionary act. (LE) Ice Cream 1. Marianne's 2. Cold Stone 3. Polar Bear Indian 1. Royal Taj 2. Malabar 3. SRI Innovative Menu 1. Saturn Café 2. Asian Rose 3. Oswald's Italian 1. Ristorante Italiano 2. Ristorante Avanti 3. Star Bene Late-Night Eatery 1. Saturn Café 2. Crepe Place 3. Santa Cruz Diner Local Wine--Red 1. Bonny Doon 2. Bargetto 3. Storrs Local Wine--White 1. Bonny Doon 2. Storrs 3. Bargetto Mexican 1. El Palomar 2. Tampico 3. Tacos Morenos Microbrewery 1. Seabright 2. Boulder Creek 3. SC Brewery Natural Food Store 1. New Leaf 2. Staff of Life 3. Food Bin Outdoor Dining 1. Crepe Place 2. Crow's Nest 3. Ristorante Italiano Pizza 1. Pizza My Heart 2. Pleasure Pizza 3. Tony & Alba's Restaurant to Blow the Rent On 1. Shadowbrook 2. Oswald's 3. Bittersweet Salad 1. Dharma's 2. Carpo's 3. Ristorante Italiano Sandwich 1. Zoccoli's 2. Erik's Deli 3. Togo's Seafood 1. Riva's 2. Crow's Nest 3. Stagnaro's Soup 1. Erik's Deli 2. Saturn Café 3. Dharma's Steak 1. Hindquarter 2. Shadowbrook 3. Crow's Nest Sushi/Japanese 1. Mobo Sushi 2. Takara 3. Shogun Taqueria 1. Taqueria Vallarta 2. Tacos Morenos 3. El Palomar Thai 1. Sabeing 2. Thai House 3. Thai Basil Vegetarian Menu 1. Dharma's 2. Saturn Café 3. Asian Rose Wine List 1. Soif 2. Pearl Alley 3. Ristorante Italiano Best Arts And Culture Architectural Gem 1. Del Mar Theatre 2. Cooper House 3. Lighthouse Architectural Nightmare 1. River Street Sign 2. S.C. Coast Hotel 3. County Building Art Gallery 1. MAH (Museum of Art and History) 2. ? Gallery 3. Felix Kulpa Photograph by Stephen Laufer Hidden Jewel: Richness lurks behind MAH's doors. Museum of Art and History Best Gallery Tucked behind the Cooper House in what was once the county jail, The Museum of Art History mixes art and history, through rotating exhibits, permanent displays and ongoing educational programs. Though the museum won a Goldie this year for best gallery, my personal favorite part of the center is the hidden gems to be found in the permanent historical exhibition. Take the sketches of the native peoples, whose dreaded hair and jewelry echoes the fashions of the kids who gather each summer on Pacific Avenue en route to the next rainbow gathering. Or the plaque that indicates that Chinese and Japanese sailors, following strong currents of the Pacific Ocean, may well have got shipwrecked along the West Coast, centuries before the first Europeans appeared.And then there's the impressive photo of a very long-haired Josephine McCrackin, who fled from a crazed and abusive husband to Santa Cruz, where she started the Ladies' Forest and Songbird Protection Association, the state's first animal protection society and worked as a journalist until her death. Cool. Very cool. (SP) Artist 1. Pete Saporito 2. James Ashbacher 3. Graham Perish Cartoonist 1. DeCinzo 2. Tim Eagan 3. Groening Children's Art Program 1. Kids Art 2. Mariposa 3. Children's Art Foundation Dance Company 1. Motion Pacific 2. Tandy Beal 3. Ladies of Hula Festival 1. Capitola Art and Wine 2. First Night 3. Santa Cruz Blues Festival Movie Theater 1. Del Mar 2. Nickelodeon 3. Cinema 9 Mural or Public Art 1. Surfer Statue 2. Upper Crust mural 3. Bill's Wheels mural Radio Personality 1. Dallas Dobro 2. "Sleepy John" Sandidge 3. Jesse Thorn Radio Station 1. KZSC-FM (88.1) 2. KPIG-FM (107.5) 3. KUSP-FM (88.9) Street Performer 1. Umbrella Man 2. Great Morgani 3. Local Guy with Guitar Theater Troupe 1. Shakespeare Santa Cruz 2. Rainbow Theater 3. Um ... Gee ... Um Writer (published, local) 1. James Houston 2. Richard Lange 3. Art O'Sullivan Best Music And Nightlife Bar 1. Red Room 2. Clouds 3. Rush Inn Bartender 1. Wendy at Rush Inn 2. Brian at Rush Inn 3. Fafa at Avenue Club DJ 1. DJ AD 2. DJ Sponer 3. DJ Beebo Dive Bar 1. Rush Inn 2. Asti 3. Jury Room Rush Inn Best Dive Bar My favorite song in the world is David Allen Coe's "You Never Even Call Me By My Name." In it he talks about he perfect country & western song and how it must contain lyrics about mama, prison and gettin' drunk. Nine times out of 10, when I stumble into the Rush Inn slightly before closing time I hear this song and I realize that the Rush is the perfect bar. It's got linoleum floors, a pool table that's too large for the space its crammed into, video poker, a bartender named Wendy and bathrooms that only have cold water. It's heaven. You can get a greyhound or a whiskey sour with no problems, but if you ask for a Singapore Sling, then all you are going to get is "Honey, I haven't made one of those in years." It also has a pinball machine that you can comfortably lean against while pouring out your hear about someone who broke your heart. Its awesome, but you shouldn't bring your mama, or else you might end up in prison for defending her honor. (PK) Happy Hour 1. El Palomar 2. Clouds 3. Crow's Nest Live Music Club 1. Catalyst 2. Moe's Alley 3. Kuumbwa Local Band 1. Blueprint 2. Extra Large 3. Devil Makes Three Local CD 1. Blueprint 2. Monsters Not Myth 3. Devil Makes Three Local Musician 1. Zach Friend--Blueprint 2. Tim McClure 3. Sista Monica Martini 1. Clouds 2. Red Room 3. Ostrich Grill Place To Dance 1. Blue Lagoon 2. Dakota 3. Catalyst Place To Play Pool 1. Fast Eddy's 2. Catalyst 3. 007 Place To Salsa Dance 1. El Palomar 2. Crow's Nest 3. Dakota Singles Bar 1. Red Room 2. Dakota 3. Clouds Sports Bar 1. Garage 2. 007 3. Club Caution Best Goods & Services Acupuncturist 1. 5 Branches 2. Jessica Davies 3. Adam White Antiques 1. Mr. Goodie's 2. Tiffany's 3. Flea Market Art Supplies 1. Palace 2. Lenz 3. Beverly's Auto Mechanic 1. Ludy's 2. Specialized Volvo 3. Paul Bear Bike Shop 1. Spokesman 2. Bicycle Trip 3. Another Bike Shop Bookshop (New) 1. Bookshop Santa Cruz 2. Borders 3. Capitola Book Café Bookshop (Used) 1. Logos 2. Bookshop Santa Cruz 3. Literary Guillotine Camera/Photo Shop 1. Bay Photo 2. Camera Club 3. Wolf Chiropractor 1. Michael Quinn 2. Henry Walton 3. Lawrence Calderon and Adam Schwartz Clothing--Children's 1. Cotton Tales 2. Gap Kids 3. Lollipop Clothing--Lingerie 1. Camouflage 2. Victoria's Secret 3. Purrfect Girl Photograph by Stephen Laufer Wigomatic: The hair is not the only thing at Camouflage. Camouflage Best Lingerie Store It's easily the sexiest store in Santa Cruz, a town that has in recent times verged on being sexless, being largely more focused on feminist subtexts than feminine sauciness. And even Camouflage's own beginnings were decidedly prurient--owner Joan Levine originally opened her store as a T-shirt shop in the old Cooper House back in 1980. Gradually the business morphed into what Levine called a "wild and crazy kind of place," but after the earthquake forced her to relocate and start over, she went for a more elegant, European feel. Levine has since maintained a high standard of quality and class--plus a generous indulgence in the explicit side of naughty retail in the backroom. They specialize in the stylish and the sensual, so whether you're out hunting for stylish new top, a delicate camisole or the new multispeed Super Vibro Deluxe 2000, Camouflage is an exciting place to find a sexier you. (MC) Clothing--Men 1. Gap 2. Crossroads 3. Ross Clothing--Shoes 1. Bunny's 2. Sockshop 3. Shoe Fetish Clothing--Women 1. Pacific Trading Co. 2. Crossroads 3. Rouge Photograph by Stephen Laufer Perfectly Accessorized: The Goldie's in the bag at Pacific Trading Co. Pacific Trading Co. Best Clothing Store--Women's When we're in need of retail therapy, we love to wander through the aisles of Pacific Trading Co. and admire their latest fashion collections. In fact, our appreciation begins outside, since their window dressings are always sublimely inventive, but inside is where we really get to salivate over delicious splashes of color, heavenly soft materials and clothes that actually look good on our body, as well as on the rack. And then there are the accessories which make us want to sell our soul to the devil, so we can buy them all. Yes, in a fashion-challenged town, Pacific Trading Co. is one delightful oasis of elegance and classic style. (BL) Clothing-Vintage 1. Crossroads 2. Moon Zoom 3. Goodwill Costume Shop 1. Closet Capers 2. Cognito 3. Camouflage Photograph by Stephen Laufer Return of the Blonde Afro: Closet Capers has it all, including a 2005 Goldie. Closet Capers Best Costume Shop If there's one thing that isn't but should be a requirement in school, it's playing dress-up. Theater kids know the power of an outlandish costume to uncover previously unearthed personalities lying dormant in the back of the psyche. Unfortunately, most adults rarely experience the joy of buckling on a pair of lederhosen and donning a Bavarian hat, the feather aimed just so. Since 1982, Rebecka Hawkins, proprietor of Closet Capers, has been helping Santa Cruz get in touch with its playful side. Hawkins started the place as a vintage clothing store, but quickly found that the greater need was for costumes--elementary and high schools regularly come to her for theater costumes. But adults need her services, too. "It seems like every weekend lately," says Hawkins, "somebody's having some kind of a theme party." No gory slasher stuff though--strictly fantasy and era costumes. Hawkins keeps a number of historical fashion books on hand to supplement her natural costuming instincts. It's difficult, but not impossible to stump Hawkins, and it's even harder to shock her with a request. The weirdest costume she's ever rented out? Santa with fishnets. "I've had calls that are stranger," adds Hawkins, "I won't say what they are, but I just hang up on 'em and say no we don't do those, bye." Decency, people, decency! (SS) Dentist 1. Dr. Steve Mann 2. Dr. Jesse Halbieb 3. Dr. Balor Tuck Flower Shop 1. Nelson & Plumlee 2. FlowerShack 3. Boulder Creek Exchange Gym 1. Toadal Fitness 2. Spa Fitness 3. Gold's Gym Hair Salon 1. Heat Salon 2. Le Salon Cruz 3. Katwalk Hot Tub 1. Well Within 2. Tea House 3. Kiva Internet Service Provider (local) 1. Cruzio 2. Got.net 3. Sasquatch Cruzio Best Internet Provider Service From its adorable beginnings in the garage of two romantically involved computer programmers to its position as the winningest business in the history of the Metro Santa Cruz Goldies awards (they've won a "Best Web Provider" award each of the 10 years that it's been a category), Cruzio has continued to evolve alongside the ever-changing Internet, while continuing to extend its roots in Santa Cruz County. Since last year alone they've accelerated their DSL speed twice: from 1.5 mbps to 3.0 mbps, and now to a whopping to 6.0 mbps (whatever the hell that means)! And for dial-up users, they're offering that fancy schmancy new high-speed dial-up that's all the rage. Domain Hosting, Ecommerce, MySQL and PHP? Check. They've also updated their webmail with reportedly sweet new user-friendly features. Plus, the folks at Cruzio offer all their services in both English and Spanish; they host monthly brown-bag workshops on basic web topics for those who would like to find out what in the hell a "mbps" is (mega bits per second, if you must know); and they also host an annual small business fair. Most recently, Cruzio opened a second store in Watsonville in what is rumored to be "Phase II" in their plan for global domination. (MC) Jewelry 1. The Vault 2. Stephan's 3. Dell William's Massage Therapist 1. Debra Mattson 2. Ashley Baydill 3. Stephen @ Well Within Music Store 1. Sylvan 2. Starving Musician 3. Union Grove Photograph by Stephen Laufer Dueling Guitars: You get the best choice at Sylvan. Sylvan Best Music Store I have played guitar for 15 or so years. I love it, but I hate music stores. Usually you get some formerly talented blues player gone to seed trying to tell you that you need a blackface 1974 Fender Twin Reverb to sound like Stevie. Plus there are like eight wankers banging out "Stairway" or the latest Blink-182 song at full blast. Usually I run in, grab my strings and flee to the relative insanity of my own home. These unfortunate situations usually don't present themselves at Sylvan. Unlike most music stores, its not just electric guitars and a handful of basses. They have dulcimers and banjos, fiddles and dobros and most of their guitars are pretty top-notch. Since its expansion a few years ago they have added a vintage room, an acoustic room and an electric room. All in all it's a wonderful place where I can happily waste my time without being hassled about my utter ignorance of Foreigner's greatest hits. (PK) Nursery 1. San Lorenzo Garden Center 2. Garden Co. 3. Native Revival Outdoor Gear 1. Outdoor World 2. Bugaboo 3. Big 5 Record/CD Store 1. Streetlight Records 2. Logos 3. Wherehouse Spa 1. Well Within 2. Chaminade 3. Tea House Surf Shop 1. O'Neill's 2. SC Surfshop 3. Arrow Tattoo Parlor 1. Staircase 2. F.U. Tattoo 3. Lovedog Veterinarian 1. Adobe Animal Hospital 2. Santa Cruz Vet Hospital 3. B.D. Mountain Vet Videotape Rental (neighborhood) 1. Westside 2. East Cliff 3. Hoots Westside Video Best Video Store It's not often that a video store claims its set (Westsi-eeed!), but there's no doubt that this independent and art house film haven is representin' for its peeps--namely, the loyal West Side clientele the store has built over the years. In 1992, Gary Bond purchased the 10-year-old Skyview Video and turned it into a local institution, pioneering the unique "Nickelodeon" section featuring movies that either were or should have been shown at the Nick. In late 2001, two of the store's managers, Matt Stevens and his wife, Jennie Norton, took over the store after being unknowingly groomed by Bond--Gary Bond. Nearly four years later, Stevens and Norton are still keeping it real with over 17,000 VHS titles and an ever-increasing DVD collection, which the couple plans to accommodate by crafty record store-style arrangement. Stevens says the new system will double the store's capacity, thereby eliminating the need to pour old videos out for the homies. (MC) Best People and Places Date Spot 1. West Cliff 2. Beach 3. Shadowbrook Local Hero 1. John Laird 2. Lex van den Berghe 3. Bruce McPherson Local Villain 1. Robert Norse 2. Mike Rotkin 3. SC City Council Local Visionary 1. John Laird 2. Mike Rotkin 3. Umbrella Guy Neighborhood Park 1. Oceanview 2. Frederick Street 3. Garfield and Meder Street Nonprofit Group 1. Santa Cruz AIDS Project 2. Resource Center for Nonviolence & Homeless Garden Project 3. Planned Parenthood & Jacob's Heart Place for Outdoor Sex 1. Beach 2. Wilder Ranch 3. UCSC Place to Take Kids 1. Boardwalk 2. Beach 3. Natural Bridges Sex Symbol 1. Lex van den Berghe 2. "Me" 3. Fred Meng and the Surfer Statue Teacher 1. Rachel Cartwright 2. Ms. C. Anderson 3. Valerie Leal Artful Smile: Rachel Cartwright has lots to be happy about. Rachel Cartwright Best Teacher & Children's Art Program Rachel Cartwright considers herself to be one of the luckiest people on the planet. Not just because she won two Goldies this year--one for Best Teacher, the other for Best Children's Art Program at her Scotts Valley-based KidsArt--but because she gets to combine her two great loves every single day of her working life. "I've always had a passion for art and a passion for working with children," says Cartwright, who opened KidsArt two years ago. "Children keep you young and aware, they challenge you and are very smart. They are not molded or jaded. Everything for them is still new and fresh. They are open to new ideas. They are like sponges--and Art gets them excited. They start with nothing and end with a beautiful piece of work." Hey, with positive words like that we can see why Cartwright has succeeded in creating a safe and nurturing environment in the two years since she opened her school, and already has 180 students enrolled. Here's wishing her many more finger-painted years. (SP) Waitperson 1. Josh Barlas at Walnut Café 2. Michael Senas at Café Mare and Jason 3. Tellez at Bella Roma Dara Goldrath at Parwana Waste of Local Tax Dollars 1. River Street Sign 2. Coast Hotel Project 3. Campaign to Widen Highway 1 Best Sports and Recreation Beach 1. Seabright Beach 2. Natural Bridges Beach 3. Cowell Beach Bike Ride 1. West Cliff 2. Wilder Ranch 3. Nisene Marks Birdwatching Spot 1. Elkhorn Slough 2. Neary's Lagoon 3. Natural Bridges and Lighthouse Field Children's Rec Program 1. Junior Guards 2. Highland's ACE 3. SC Parks and Recreation Day Trip 1. Big Sur 2. San Francisco 3. Monterey Hiking Spot 1. Nisene Marks 2. Wilder Ranch 3. Pogonip Martial Arts 1. IMS 2. Minorsan 3. Claudio Franca Jujitsu Pickup Basketball Game 1. Meder Street 2. Louden Nelson 3. Jade Street Place for Quiet Contemplation 1. Beach 2. West Cliff 3. Nisene Marks & Pogonip Place to Throw a Frisbee 1. De Laveaga 2. Beach 3. UCSC East Field Sunset View 1. West Cliff 2. Natural Bridges 3. Lighthouse Field Surf Spot 1. Steamer Lane 2. Pleasure Point 3. Cowell Beach Yoga 1. Kali Ray Yoga Center 2. Village Yoga 3. Laura Broderick Burr [ Santa Cruz | Metroactive Central | Archives ]