aptos

Best Santa Cruz Christmas Tree Lot is in Aptos

November 30, 2014 by Seb Frey

It turns out that the best Santa Cruz Christmas tree lot is in Aptos! This may be somewhat of a subjective statement, but what other Christmas tree lot in the county gives you free popcorn, hot cocoa, coffee, and hot apple cider? What other Christmas tree lot in town has a special crafts area for your kids to make holiday decorations while you shop for a Christmas tree?

They offer a full range of top notch Christmas trees, and they are all fresh and grown in the U.S.A. And the prices are reasonable, too – very competitive with Costco and other lots around town. If you’re shopping for a fresh live Christmas tree this year, go and check out the Christmas tree lot in Aptos Village – you’ll be glad you did! They accept cash, checks, and Visa/Mastercard.

The Aptos Christmas Tree Lot is located where Lucy’s Hot Dog stand is, which is next to Testorff Construction, which in turn is located right next to the Bayview Hotel.

Aptos Christmas Tree Lot

Rio Sands Hotel in Aptos

November 30, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Rio Sands Hotel in Aptos is one of the largest hotels in the Aptos area, and is also the one that is closest to the beach. It is conveniently located just steps from the sands of Rio del Mar Beach. They also have a large community meeting room which can be rented for breakfasts and meetings, holding up to 120 people. They offer rooms including a continental breakfast, abundant and free parking, and free WiFi for paying guests. Each room is equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, in-room coffee, and hair dryer. They have a variety of room sizes, including full suites.
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Seb Frey Circa 1974

November 20, 2014 by Seb Frey

Ahh, the 1970’s. So much was happening: the Vietnam war, Richard Nixon’s impeachment, the Arab oil embargo, Jimmy Carter. The Grateful Dead were arguably at the top of their game (Cornell ’77 anyone?). Loud clothing was all the rage.

I was oblivious to most of this at the time, except the loud clothing. Thanks to my parents, I totally rocked that.

Here’s a picture of me, Seb Frey circa 1974, age three. Amazingly enough, this is NOT an instagram picture – this is a genuine 1974 photograph (or an unretouched scan of it, anyway)! It was taken at my family’s home on Coates Drive in Seacliff:

You can’t actually see the home, as I’m standing in front of what amounts to a fenced-in patio at the “rear” of the property (the front was considered to be the bluff-side, with the “million dollar” Seacliff Beach and Monterey Bay view). The house was built by my grandfather between 1948 and 1951, as a kind of weekend project. I ended up living in it for many years – college years, and after – but we won’t be seeing too many photos of those times. 🙂

My brother, sister and I bought it from our family and held onto it for I think about 10 years or so, but eventually sold it back in 2008. Sigh. I still spend a lot of time in Seacliff, as today, we live only about a mile away as the crow flies. Some things change, some things don’t, but one thing is for sure: my kids are considerably better dressed than I was back in the day.

Vacation Rental Restrictions coming to Aptos?

October 5, 2014 by Seb Frey

There is a move afoot to limit the number of vacation rentals in the “coastal” areas of Aptos, specifically Seacliff, Seascape, and Rio del Mar. The limits would be identical to what is now presently permissible in the <a href="http://www.sccoplanning about his.com/Portals/2/County/Planning/policy/052-11LiveOakWeb.pdf” target=”_blank”>Live Oak Designated Area (LODA), which is the coastal area that encompasses Pleasure Point and the area near the Santa Cruz harbor.

If the restrictions are approved by the Santa Cruz county board of Supervisors, the designated areas in Aptos (SADA, or “Seacliff Aptos Designated Area”) would not allow vacation rental permits in excess of 20% of the homes on any one block. There is apparently a concern that the increasing number of homes used as vacation rentals would diminish the availability of homes used for long-term rentals, and increase the cost of renting in Aptos.

There are presently two streets in Aptos which have vacation rentals that exceed 20% of the homes on the street: Beach Drive, and Rio del Mar Boulevard between Beach Drive and the Kingsbury/Cliff Drive intersection. Under the ordinance, no new vacation rental permits would be approved on these streets.

The board of supervisors is to take up the issue at a public hearing on Tuesday, October 28 at 9:00 AM at the Board Chambers, County Administrative Building, 701 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. People who are concerned with the issue, in favor or against, are encouraged to contact Supervisor Zach Friend or attend the hearing on October 28th.

We have posted some notes from the Santa Cruz County Planning Commission meeting on September 16, for those who are interested in learning more.

Seacliff Aptos Designated Area

Aptos Way Back Machine: Real Estate

July 23, 2014 by Seb Frey

Back before there was such a thing as smart phones…back before “broadband” Internet was widely available for most people…back when Netscape was battling it out with Internet Explorer for supremacy on the world wide web…

There was the MLS book. To you youngsters out there, it may seem incredible, but there was once a time when Joe Sixpack couldn’t just jump on his smart phone and browse the latest real estate listings. Real estate listings were a closely guarded commodity belonging only to Realtors. If you wanted to know what was for sale, you had to talk to a Realtor. Realtors would browse through the MLS book, updated twice a month, to find homes to show buyers.

Most civilians have never seen the inside of an MLS book. And neither had I, until just yesterday, when I met someone who actually had what was probably one of the last MLS books ever printed in Santa Cruz county, in 1998…at least, the current MLS system has listings beginning in 1998, and not before.

So let’s hope in the Way Back machine and look back in time to late 1998, to see how homes were marketed back then, and what they cost. Check out these pictures:

Hidden Beach Aptos

June 9, 2014 by Seb Frey

Hidden Beach Aptos is located just south of Platforms Beach and a bit to the north of Beer Can Beach. It is used mostly be local Rio del Mar neighborhood residents because the beach does not have its own parking lot. There is some parking available at the Hidden Beach Park and playground, but other than that, you’ll need to park in the street a couple-few blocks away. It does not have a bathroom or any facilities.

Aptos Street BBQ

March 12, 2014 by Seb Frey

Aptos may be miles from Kansas City, but when it comes to getting some good barbecue in town, folks from all over Santa Cruz county flock to Aptos Village and our own Aptos Street BBQ. The place is easy to spot, just look for the smoke streaming up from their BBQ outside the restaurant.

They feature a smorgasbord of BBQ foods – pork and beef ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken, tri-tip, and hot links. They also have some sandwiches and dinner salads and a number of side dishes including beans, cole slaw, potato salad, and garlic bread. Are you a vegetarian? Best go someplace else…while they do have those side dishes, they aren’t the stars of the show and you’re better off looking elsewhere at chow time.

Aptos Street BBQ has, in a relatively short time, climbed to the top of the heap of BBQ restaurants in Santa Cruz county. In addition to top-quality barbecue, they also feature no less than 37 draft beers, and live music (blue, usually) every night of the week from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. This restaurant is a real gem, and definitely worth making a special trip to experience…if you’re a carnivore.

Tip: Come early! They make BBQ the old fashioned way, smoked for hours – so once they run out, they’re out until the next day.

See also http://www.aptosstbbq.com

Aptos Street BBQ – the Best Barbecue in Santa Cruz County

Kauboi Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar

March 1, 2014 by Seb Frey

Kauboi has Closed as of December 2012

The Kauboi Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar is a welcome addition to the Aptos Sushi Bar and Grill scene…actually, it’s the only Sushi Bar and Grill in Aptos. In fact, it’s the only proper sit-down sushi restaurant in Aptos (not counting Sushi on the Run, which is more a grab-and-go place).

Kauboi is located in the Aptos Village, just after you cross the bridge and enter the village from the north, in the building which formerly housed the Britannia Arms. It has ample parking, and abundant seating inside. They have a full bar, with a wide selection of sake and whiskey and a healthy selection of craft microbrews on tap.

In addition to sushi, Kauoboi also features beef, chicken, and fish which they say is raised (farmed) or harvested in a sustainable manner. They’re open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and they serve a western-style brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

Tip: make a reservation if you’re planning to come on Friday or Saturday night, as this place has become pretty popular!

Aptos History Museum

February 21, 2014 by Seb Frey

If you’re looking to dig into Aptos’ past, the place to start is the Aptos History Museum. It’s located just off the State Park Drive freeway exit, adjacent to the Best Western Seacliff Inn (and Severino’s Bar and Grill).

The Aptos History Museum is a wonderful community asset with a fantastic collection of local artifacts, photographs, and information. It is made possible by the many volunteers who continue to donate their time and talent. The museum operates financially solely from memberships and donations.

They also have a small gift shop, a great place to buy something special for that Aptosian who already has (almost) everything.

Tip: Get involved! Come to a board meeting, the third Wednesday of every month, between 4 and 5 PM.

The Farm Bakery and Cafe

February 18, 2014 by Seb Frey

The Farm Bakery and Cafe is located on Soquel Drive, just down the street from Cabrillo College. It sits by itself, with no competition in sight. It’s an eclectic place – they sell baked goods such as bread, cookies, a few pastries – as well as a breakfast and lunch menu with lighter, “healthier” fare such as salads and wraps. Also on offer is a wide range of coffee-house drinks – lattés, espressos, cappuccinos, and the like.

They also have a “gift shop” where they sell a seemingly endless selection of bric-a-brac: small toys for kids, books, lotions, soaps, gag gifts, jewelry, etc. The “gift shop” is part and parcel of the Farm Bakery and Cafe’s experience: it’s loud and proud.

Given that they have no direct competition in the immediate vicinity, the Farm Bakery Cafe (and gift shop!) makes it a good choice to grab a light meal when you’re in the neighborhood. The service can be pretty hit-or-miss; the counter staff can appear distracted and the service for the food itself is slow at times. None of these though are impeachable offenses and shouldn’t deter you from stopping by and giving the Farm a try.

Favorite items: the fruit tart. They sell a mean fruit tart, great for bringing to a party.

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Kauboi has Closed as of December 2012