Lifestyle

Thornton Wilder’s Our Town comes to Santa Cruz

April 7, 2018 by Seb Frey

Our Town comes to Santa Cruz

Thornton Wilder’s Our Town comes to Santa Cruz this month at the Center Sage in downtown Santa Cruz! OUR TOWN, set in the early 20th century, has been described as “the record of a tiny New Hampshire village as created by the lives of its most humble inhabitants”. It invites reflection on how our country has changed over the past century. Yet the play is less about a particular time than about time itself, and the passing ephemeral quality of all life. Much like the inhabitants of Grover’s Corners, we too make breakfast, go to work, celebrate birthdays, get sick, get drunk, get married, raise children, and endure trouble. And yes, we also die.

Wilder’s play reflects his encounter with the Zen inspired Noh theater of Japan where Buddhist themes were played out on a largely bare stage. OUR TOWN’s staging is likewise spare: 2 ladders, 2 tables, several chairs. Much of the action is mimed and left to the imagination of the audience. It conveys in a Zen-like fashion a sense of the preciousness of human life in the face of cosmic immensity.

Thus the play evokes and celebrates the luminous, extraordinary, even the sacred quality of everyday life in every time and place. As the Stage Manager, whose folksy commentary moves the play along, puts it: “We all know that something is eternal. And it ain’t houses and it ain’t names, and it ain’t even the stars. There’s something way down deep that’s eternal about every human being.”

Now more than ever, amid the fears, turmoil, and toxic divisions of our public life, OUR TOWN lifts up a larger sense of perspective that gives significance and meaning to our individual lives and relationships. For we too dwell, as young Rebecca in the play reminds us, in “the United States of America…the Earth… the Universe, and the Mind of God.”

Tickets and Showtimes

The show runs April 6th through the 22nd on weekends at the Center Stage, 1001 Center Street, Santa Cruz. Show times are at 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and on Sunday at 2PM. Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3205509 and are $25 general admission and $10 for anyone of limited means.

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Family Trip to McWay Falls in Big Sur

March 1, 2018 by Seb Frey

A few days back, we decided to take a family trip to McWay Falls in Big Sur. I’ve been to Big Sur a bunch of times, to go camping, hiking, and of course to the famous Sykes Hot Springs for some epic naked hippie spotting. But for some reason, I’d never been to check out McWay Falls at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park . I’d seen many pictures before, and you may have, too: the 80′ waterfall that pours onto the sand of the beach below, getting lapped up by the stunning aquamarine sea.

Took a trip with the family a few days back to see McWay falls in #bigsur – I had never been to see it. Amazing! #waterfall #california #stunning #nofilter
A post shared by Sebastian Frey (@sebfrey) on Mar 1, 2018 at 9:21am PST

Unfortunately, they don’t actually let you go down and splash around under the falls. It’s a steep climb down some almost vertical cliffs to get there, and they have yet to put in an elevator. It may be possible to access it via rubber dingy or something from the ocean, but as a tourist arriving by car, the best you’ll do is to gawk at it from a trail which runs along the northern side of the inlet, a few hundred yards away form the falls themselves.

But that’s OK. I can’t help but feel that if people were allowed to go tromping around the falls, it wouldn’t maintain its majestic beauty for long. Certainly the sand wouldn’t look so pristine for picture taking. Speaking of the sand, I learned something interesting when I was there – not long ago, there wasn’t any sand there whatsoever. A massive landslide in the 1980’s poured gazillions of tons of dirt, sand, and rock into the water, and a lot of it ended up washing up into the inlet and forming the beach. The beach we see there today is very new, and they say some other geologic event might cause it to be washed away again one day. So go check it out while the getting is good!

We had great fun as a family on the trip – that’s one of the great things about Aptos: if you don’t find what you’re looking for here, you’re sure to find it somewhere close by. Between Aptos and Big Sur there’s no end of scenic viewpoints and places to stop and gawk, shop, eat, whatever! I hope you enjoy a selection of photos from our outing.

Big Sur Family Trip Photo Gallery

McWay Falls, Big Sur, CA

Podcast features Guests from Aptos

February 12, 2018 by Seb Frey

The Bay to Bay Podcast shines a spotlight on life in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay region of California. Produced by local REALTOR Sebastian “Seb” Frey, this groundbreaking podcast features guests who hail primarily from the area. Guests on the show share information about matters affecting those of us who live in or visit he area.

Recently, two guests from Aptos appeared on the podcast. The first was Kristina Campbell, a local real estate appraiser and also Aptos resident. Kristina answered all manner of questions about real estate appraisal, and cited many examples of appraisal work in local Aptos neighborhoods. Anyone thinking of buying, re-financing, or selling a home in Aptos would do well to listen to this informative episode.

In the most recent episode of the podcast, Aptos archaeologist Dustin McKenzie of the Cabrillo College anthropology department talked about local archaeology. How long have humans lived in our area? Where did they come from? What was their culture like? Where can we go to see traces of the people who lived in California in ancient times? Anyone interested in our area’s history will find this to be an interesting and entertaining episode to listen to.

What’s a podcast? A podcast is like a radio show, only it doesn’t broadcast over the air. Rather, the audio from each podcast is stored on the Internet and is typically downloaded or streamed to a device such as an iPod (hence the name, Podcast), iPhone, tablet, or other mobile device. Many people enjoy podcasts as they commute to or from work, at the gym, or around the house. There are thousands of podcasts available on every imaginable topic. They can easily be found in on-line directories, such as the iTunes Store, Stitcher Radio, and the Google Play.

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New Year’s Walk at King Tide

January 2, 2018 by Seb Frey

4K Video of Low Tide Walk from New Brighton to Capitola

On January 1, 2018, Santa Cruz county rang in the new year, and Mother Nature provided an incredible way to greet it: with a King Tide. A King
Tide is simply the very highest tide, and the flip side is a very low tide. When the tide is very low, it’s possible to walk from New Brighton Beach to Capitola Beach, right along the base of the cliff, without having to get wet.

My wife and I decided to take the kids for the walk, because this kind of super-low tide doesn’t happen every day. The weather was fine, just a tad under 60 degrees, with scattered high clouds. We started off from New Brighton Beach around 1 PM, with the lowest tide to come at 4:18 PM.

It took us a little more than an hour to make the walk to Capitola Village, exploring the rocks and tide pools exposed by the receding waters. We checked out countless sea anemones and hermit crabs, but were unable to find any starfish. Some folks said they had seen a small red octopus, but it vanished into the rocks.

We made it to Capitola shortly after 2 PM, and headed down for a late lunch at Paradise Beach Grill. By 3:30 we were again on the sand, walking back. On our way home, we ran into a lot of people we knew, so it took closer to two hours for the return trip. Which was fine, because the sunlight was sublime and it was great to be able to spend so much time with Mother Nature and so many members of our community.

We are so thankful that in less than a five minute drive from our house we can get to the beach for an experience as spectacular as the one we enjoyed as a family on New Year’s Day. Before we left, our youngest boy Evan was complaining about another trip to the beach, but he was amazed by all the “discoveries” we made, frolicking in the tide pools. Another priceless family memory, courtesy of our beautiful Monterey Bay. Happy New Year everyone!

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Free Passes to Monterey Bay Aquarium

November 13, 2017 by Seb Frey

The Santa Cruz Public Library System (SCPL) is proud to partner with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Shelf to Shore Program to provide low income families a free pass to the aquarium during winter and spring.

Intended to provide access to families who would not otherwise be able to afford to go, adults 18 and over with a valid SCPL library card are eligible for 1 pass per year. Typically, families who qualify for Free School Lunch, WIC, SNAP, Meals on Wheels, Medi-Cal, Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, or other similar services are eligible for a pass.

To request a Shelf to Shore Pass, visit the service desk at any SCPL branch library or the Bookmobile. For free admission to the aquarium, you must present the free ticket with your matching library card at the Aquarium’s main entrance. Passes are valid up until May 25, 2018, except for holidays and the Community Open House Week.

Experiences that bring science, nature, and conservation to life are critical in the education of young and mature learners alike. According to Library Director Susan Nemitz, “The library is a natural partner in connecting families to these learning experiences. We hope it inspires kids of all ages to get involved with science and conservation efforts.”

For those families not eligible for the program, you can still visit during the annual Community Open House, which is the first full week of December every year for all residents, regardless of income, from the Tri-County region (Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito). Others might want to take advantage of the new Locals Programs with special pricing on admission for locals. For more information, please visit www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit/hours-and-tickets/locals-only.

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Aptos Little League: Life Lessons

March 19, 2017 by Seb Frey

Little League Baseball

Yesterday was opening date for Aptos Little League. I can’t believe it, but I am now in my fifth year of being a Little League parent. We started our oldest son Aiden with T-Ball when he wasn’t quite yet four years old. Our youngest son Evan started when he was four, and now he’s in his second season, still in T-Ball. Aiden is now in AA, and it’s starting to get real.

All these years, I’ve been an assistant coach on the teams Aiden has been on. It’s a little ironic, because I’ll be the first to tell anyone that I know diddly-squat about baseball. Oh, I know the basics – three strikes and you’re out, nine innings, yadda yadda. But when it comes to the mechanics of playing baseball – how to throw a ball, catch, hit – I’m pretty clueless. I can do all those things to some degree, but I was never in Little League. The finer points were never taught in my PE classes in school.

When the kids are really little, coaching didn’t involve a lot of those fine points. Mostly, it was me telling them not to eat the sand and play tag in the outfield. Now that we’re in AA, it’s starting to get serious, which is why this year on Aiden’s team, I’m now a bench coach. Is that even a real thing? I just googled it, and it turns out, it is – but I’m no second in command. My job is to keep the kids focused on the game when they’re seated on the bench, waiting for their turn at bat. There’s not too many fine points with that job, so I can handle it pretty well.

My kids don’t have the advantage of a dad who’s super into baseball. Yes, I play catch with them and pitch balls for them to hit now and again, but not as much as I should. Throwing, catching, batting – they’ve learned almost all of it at Little League practice and games.

It's opening day, and a Royals-Blue Jays love fest. #aptos #littleleague #bluejays #royals
A post shared by Sebastian Frey (@sebfrey) on Mar 18, 2017 at 12:03pm PDT

And it is amazing to watch their progress. Neither of them came to Little League with a love of the game. We’ve been to AT&T Park a few times to watch the Giants play, and they’ve had fun – running around, eating ice cream and hot dogs and soaking up the energy – but they weren’t exactly intently focused on the game. Yet, there at Little League, you can see their skills mature, their confidence increase, and their enthusiasm grow with each day on the field. They’re learning about the value of practice, persistence, and teamwork – and it is a joy to behold.

But there’s more to it than joy. It’s a strong reminder to me that we can all get better at anything – with grit, determination, repetition. Whether it’s being a parent, Real estate broker, or Guardian in the Crucible, practice makes perfect. Or at least makes it better.

I’m really thankful to Little League for helping my kids with this important life lesson – and of course, also to the other parents and players who really enrich the sport and show what makes our such a special community.

Exclusive Interview with James Durbin

March 11, 2017 by Seb Frey

For those of you who haven’t heard, local musician James Durbin was recently announced as the new lead singer for Quiet Riot, the legendary metal band. James was kind enough to grant an interview to AptosCommunityNews about this new musical venture.

First, congratulations on joining Quiet Riot! That’s quite an accomplishment.

1) How did you happen to get connected up with those guys?

JD: I was doing a residency show in Las Vegas and ended up (re)connecting with QR Guitarist Alex Grossi and we started our own songwriting project titled “Maps To The Hollywood Scars” of which we just released our first five song EP titled “Volume 1”. Throughout our time writing, Alex played our songs to QR Drummer Frankie Banali. Frankie had had his eye on me for a few years. I guess everything just fell into place at the right time 🙂

2) What history do you have with the band – have you been a fan, if so, how long?

JD: The first time I heard QUIET RIOT’s ‘Bang Your Head (Metal Health)’ was on a video game called Legends Of Wrestling. The gameplay was awful but the theme song was worth keeping it haha. This is a few years before YouTube was around.

3) Do you have any favorite Quiet Riot songs in particular that you look forward to rocking out on?

JD: Since QR rehearsals took place earlier this week all songs in the setlist are just as strong as the next one, but in particular I’m currently enjoying ‘Condition Critical’, ‘Thunderbird’, ‘Put Up Or Shut Up’ & ‘Sucks To Be You’.

4) Have you and the rest of your new band mates discussed any changes to the sound or a new approach to performing their music?

JD: QUIET RIOT is a straight-forward Rock ‘n Roll party band! 1 Guitarist, 1 Bassist, 1 Drummer & the Singer 🙂 We now have 3 Generations in the band, so there will definitely be some new approaches happening every now and then.

5) Quiet Riot is something of an institution in the heavy metal world – and you’re a pretty young guy. Do you have any concerns about that?

JD: No concerns at all. As soon as we hit the stage for the first time together, any concerns will be laid to rest.

6) When will be your first show with Quiet Riot?

JD: My first show is at The Cotillion in Wichita, KS on March 18th! I can’t wait to unleash everything we’ve got on that crowd haha. I hope they’re ready.

7) Are there plans to record any new material with the band now that you’re on board?

JD: Right now QUIET RIOT is focused on touring and getting the word out about my joining the band.

8) Will Quiet Riot be playing in or near Santa Cruz any time soon?

JD: No scheduled dates at this time, but we are looking at possible bookings in Santa Cruz.

9) Quiet Riot is based in L.A. – does this mean you’ll need to move, or will you be staying here in the Santa Cruz area?

JD: Most of my travels will be weekend based, so there are no plans to move at this time.

10) Will you continue your career as a solo artist?

JD: Absolutely! I recently released my first Independent album “Riot On Sunset” that was recorded in Santa Cruz at Rocker Studios with ‘Father’ Rick Vierra. We will be recording an Acoustic Album sometime this year as well as a songwriting project with my wife Heidi.

—

James Durbin is appearing TONIGHT, March 11th, at the Catalyst Club in downtown Santa Cruz to support Jacob’s Heart. The show starts at 7:30 PM – so head and down and check it out!

Aptos Real Estate Broker Writes New Book: Get It Sold!

March 7, 2017 by Seb Frey

**Get It Sold!** By Sebastian “Seb” Frey

Local Aptos real estate broker Sebastian “Seb” Frey has written a new book: Get It Sold!, which is his unique perspective on the fine art of home sales. While there are hundreds of books written on this very topic, relatively few are written which focus on just the northern California region. And this may be the only book written by a Santa Cruz-based real estate broker which focuses squarely on the needs of Santa Cruz county area home owners.

The book is designed to be an easy read – at just 110 pages, it can be absorbed in just an hour or two. It maintains a conversational style throughout, to help keep the reader engaged and turning pages. The goal for the book is simple: to show home owners what they can do to sell their home quickly, but for the absolute highest price the market will bear. And of course, with the least amount of hassle, risk, and uncertainty.

According to Seb, “In a hot real estate market such as we’re currently experiencing in Aptos, there’s a misperception that all you need to do to sell your home for a crazy high price is just jack the asking price up a notch or two above what the neighbor’s house sold for, put a for sale sign in the front yard, throw it on the MLS, and wait for the bidding war to ensue. But it doesn’t work like that!”

Get It Sold! takes readers through the whole process of getting homes sold at peak pricing. It starts by discussing the decision to sell, then moves on to getting the home prepared for sale, staging for maximum appeal, creating and executing a full-blown, attention-getting marketing campaign, and covers savvy negotiation techniques to wring out the maximum sale price of the property.

The book is available on Amazon.com for $12.95, but it is being made available to Aptos-area home owners for free – and Seb even covers shipping and handling! To order your copy Get It Sold! with free shipping, click this link. Happy reading!

Get It Sold! Launch Party Video

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A New Year in Aptos

January 1, 2017 by Seb Frey

Good morning, and welcome to a new year in Aptos! Many people are all too happy to bid good riddance to 2016. It was certainly a contentious year with seemingly more downs than ups. In Aptos, though, it feels easier somehow to just let it roll off you, like water off a duck’s back.

Late yesterday afternoon, my family headed down to Seacliff State Beach around 4:30 PM. It was a beautiful late afternoon winter day in Aptos. Nary a cloud in the sky, temperatures in the mid-50’s, and a calm, gentle surf breaking on the sand. There were people on the beach – but not many. It gave you a sense of community, of being with people, but with plenty of space for you to soak up the glory of it all in harmonious contemplation.

Last #sunset #2016 #aptos #goodbye #happynewyear
A photo posted by Sebastian Frey (@sebfrey) on Dec 31, 2016 at 6:14pm PST

We sat there on a huge driftwood log, and just watched as the sun sank slowly into the west. We listened to the waves crash on the shore, hearing the seagulls caw as they drifted through the air. We marveled at how much the SS Palo Alto had changed in the past year from last winter’s storms. We listened to a young girl shrieking as she played in the sand nearby with her parents.

And in that moment, all was well. Perfect, actually. We live in such an amazing place. I’ve only lived here a few decades, but I’m pretty sure it was an amazing place 1,000 years ago and will probably be an amazing place 1,000 years in the future. Time marches on, and the Earth will abide. As a friend of mine is fond of saying, we’re here for a good time, not a long time.

That’s why New Year’s is my favorite holiday. A year is something real, something indisputable. You can quibble about when it begins, when it ends, what every day in between means – but in the end, it doesn’t matter. A year is the time it takes the Earth to make one revolution around the sun – and that’s something we all experience, no matter how old or young, rich or poor, black or white, American or Russian or Chinese or Syrian. We only have so many years in our lives – some will have more than others, but time waits for no man. It’s something that ultimately makes us all very equal.

I look at each new new year as a marker, a waypoint. A time to reassess, and think about what I want to do with the time I have remaining, however long that is. I am not making any new resolutions this year – rather, I am just resolved to keep doing what I’ve been doing, only better and with more focus and commitment.

Whatever the new year means to you, I want to wish you and everyone on our big blue marble a warm, prosperous, and peaceful new year. Let’s hope for the best and then all work hard to make it happen. Our children deserve nothing less.

Aptos Last Day of 2016 Sunset Video

Party Time at Synergy Dance Fitness Tai Chi

November 30, 2016 by Seb Frey

It’s that party time of year! Synergy Dance Fitness Tai Chi in Aptos is hosting a 90s-themed hip hop dance party on Friday, December 2 from 7:30-9:00 PM. The Rumpshakers Dance Party is a fundraiser for Aptos Adopt-A-Family and Jacob’s Heart. Synergy has adopted two Jacob’s Heart families this year, and your admission is free with your wrapped gift item from the list on their Facebook Event page. The Jacob’s Heart adopt a family program helps families who are dealing with major illness.

The party starts with a 30 minute of 90’s jams, socializing, and drinks followed up with a 50 minute hip hop dance workout!

They will also be hosting a holiday social on Saturday, December 3rd from 5-7pm with light refreshments and festive music. The community is welcome to come by and also bring donations if they are able to do so. All donations for Jacob’s Heart must be received no later than Wednesday, December 7th.