Sailing Santa Cruz StyleBy: Ruth and Rich Carlson www.talkintravel.com
 “Slips Available,” the sign at the entrance to the Santa Cruz Harbor says it all. If you’ve ever dreamed of having a boat in the Santa Cruz Harbor this is your best chance in 25 years. “For the first time since 1973, berthing spaces are open,” confirms Brian Foss, Santa Cruz Harbor Port Commissioner. The change is a result of the two-year ban on salmon fishing, causing fishing boats to go out of business and leave the Harbor. The collapse of the fishing industry is good news for recreational boaters. The pink fish ban will have an impact on the local economy, but the Harbor is trying to counteract that by attracting more sailors. “We’re hoping to get by on our good looks,” chuckles Brian Foss. “The Monterey Marine Sanctuary is unique in the whole planet. Where else can you sail out in three minutes and find whales, orcas, seals, and sea otters,” says Philippe Kahn, CEO, Fullpower Technologies and head of the Pegasus Sailboat Racing Team. The inventor of the camera phone, among other things, Kahn could live anywhere in the world, but just opted to erect a pre-fabricated home in the Harbor. “We live in a beautiful area where the sea meets the trees. There are no facilities nearby that come close to what we have in Santa Cruz,” according to Chuck Izenstark, Assistant Harbormaster. It has an international reputation among sailors, a newly remodeled walkway with educational signs, five restaurants, a free water taxi service, an informal yacht club, and cheap rent for live-aboards in an insanely expensive housing market. Yet, if you ask most people whether they take advantage of the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, you’ll get a blank stare. “It’s the best-kept secret in Santa Cruz,” says Izenstark. “Most people’s only contact with the Yacht Harbor is coming to the annual lighted board parade held the first Saturday every December or walking across the bridge and admiring the boats,” agrees Dan Haifley, Executive Director, O’Neill Sea Odyssey. “Most people don’t know they can walk and bike along interpretive kiosks that tell you about the harbor wildlife and history.” Maybe residents are put off by the name Yacht Harbor; which sounds like an elitist sport for the wealthy. While it’s true the rich are different from you and me and many have selected sailing as a hobby, if anyplace has made sailing egalitarian, it’s Santa Cruz. Like the rest of Santa Cruz, the Yacht Harbor is laidback; you’re as likely to see a skipper wearing flip-flops as topsiders. Homer Lighthall, former skipper of Chardonnay II, recalls a race where a crewmember wanted to sheet in the mainsail to go faster, but Homer cautioned him, “Whoa, slow down, the hot dogs will fall off the grill,” (which was located in center of the cockpit!). Santa Cruz has different priorities than most places. Take the “beer can races” for instance. “Wednesday night boat races are commonplace in most beach towns but Santa Cruz is unique that it doesn’t keep score or have any trophies,” says Foss. “I’m sure someone, somewhere keeps score of the winners,” he laughs,” but that’s not a high priority or the point of the race.” There’s an urban myth that anyone who shows up Wednesday nights on the dock with a six-pack (hence the nickname beer can races) can join a crew for the night. Morgan Larson, an internationally renowned sailor who lives in Capitola, his hometown, said the truth is, “If you come down to Yacht Harbor on a Wednesday between 5 and 5:30 with a six pack of beer, or a smile, and a lifejacket and gloves you’ll get out on the water.” On a nice evening, when the rabbit (the lead boat) fires the starter gun, skippers on up to 200 boats start screaming instructions to their crews who scramble to hoist spinnakers, the colorful sails that give boats the most wind. The audience also enjoys free entertainment. A local ukulele club serenades people sitting in beach chairs in front of the Crow’s Nest and the Kind Grind coffee shop. After the race, crews gather at either the Yacht Club where they grill their own hamburgers, (you just need a member to sign you in), or walk to the Seabright Brew Pub. If you don’t know a tack from a jibe, there are plenty of ways to become a boating expert. “You can learn how to sail for practically free at UCSC,” says Larson. Young people can also take inexpensive lessons through the Santa Cruz Yacht Club’s junior sailing program. If you successfully pass Marc Craft’s Pacific Yachting sailing school, you can rent any of the boats in his inventory. Krista Lighthall is doing her part to get more women into sailing with female-only lessons. With only four women on Lighthall’s Catalina 36 at a time, her students learn every aspect of boating. When they take couples out for lessons, her husband Scott observes, “When I see a woman struggling, I want to step in and help, but Krista--she puts them to work.” Former student Deb White, who now owns the Debonair 30-foot-Catalina sailboat with her husband Pat, says the lessons were very empowering. “I went from being a chicken to feeling confident.” After she graduated she participated in the only all-women team that competed in a Catalina 30 nationals race held in Santa Cruz. “We didn’t win, but we didn’t come in last place either!” says White. Those who prefer to leave the work to others can act like a millionaire for the day by taking a leisurely cruise on a charter boat, including the Chardonnay II, Lighthall Charters and the O’Neill Catamaran, which just started one hour cruises for $20.00 per person. These yachts are also often booked for weddings and scattering ashes. Kids love the free water taxi service provided by the Yacht Harbor. Foss believes higher fuel prices may convince more people to take up sailing, which he says leaves a very light carbon footprint. Krista Lighthall makes a good argument that boating is an affordable sport. “My husband and I have one car but we have three boats, it’s all where you decide to spend your money.” Once you buy your boat and pay your slip fees, sailing on the Monterey Bay is free. Unlike golf, you don’t need to join a club or pay every time you engage in the sport. “Sailing small boats is within the reach of most people,” says Kahn. “It’s much more cost-effective than big yachts and more fun too.” The Harbor also contributes to the region’s economy. “We have about one big race a year which we estimate brings in at least half a million dollars to the community through spending at hotels, restaurants, and shopping,” says Foss. In addition, a large amount of the berth fees are turned over to the city and county. The funds also pay for the Yacht Harbor Search and Rescue teams. “A big part of our job is emergency rescues,” says Izenstark. “Weather is the factor that can get people in the greatest trouble and overwhelmed. Big surf at the harbor entrance is always a problem-people are just unaware of how powerful this can be.” The job can be dangerous but it had an unexpected bonus for one Deputy Harbormaster. After the Coast Guard gave up on two men lost at sea in a Hobie Cat, Deputy Harbormaster Don Kinnamon and Carey Smith found the men and saved their lives. One of the rescued sailors was getting married in four days and insisted Kinnamon come to the wedding where he met the woman who became his wife, now the mother of their son. The same weather conditions that are risky for inexperienced sailor are the reason so many world-class seaman have come from our area. “Santa Cruz is one of the few ports in Northern California located directly on the Pacific Ocean,” says Foss. “The winds are steady and consistent making this an excellent place to experience ocean sailing. “Wind…we have it and you can’t buy it, which is why the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor is one of the most desirable places in the world for sailors,” explains Larson, who has sailed in three America’s Cup races, the international yachting competition. “Santa Cruz has produced an amazing number of internationally renowned sailors for a port this size,” (a 1500 boat marina), says Foss. They include Jack Halterman who was a crew member of the yacht that won the Sydney to Hobart race last year, famous sailing boat builders George Olson and Ron Moore, Kahn, head of the Pegasus Racing Team, and Ernie Rideout who is still winning races at age 82! Rideout, who is also a local historian, claims that boat designer Bill Lee is largely responsible for putting Santa Cruz on the map. In the 1970’s Lee was one of the creators of ultra light boats and coined the term “Fast is Fun.” He “created a cult following,” according to Larson, whose father was one of those “cult” members. “People saw these hippies winning races and thought if these guys can do it anyone can,” says Larson. Today Lee is a boat broker in the Harbor and Foss says he is a pioneer in using the Internet to sell yachts. Jack O’Neill is undoubtedly the most famous name associated with Santa Cruz. The inventor of the wet suit, he is now involved in O’Neill Sea Odyssey that teaches children about the environment. “We bring science to life,” says Haifley. Under-privileged children get a chance to go out on the bay and surveys indicate ninety percent of the kids come away with a commitment to better protect the environment. “Sailing is great for the environment because it gets people outdoors into the wilderness,” says Kahn. “Once a kid sails with whales around or sees a mother otter with their pup playing, they will want to protect the magic of their natural habitat. It's perfect for our changing world. More sailors make for a better planet.” Mother Nature however is in a constant battle with the Port because the Harbor wants to return it’s natural state of a lagoon. The Port authority has to dredge mud from the entrance every winter to give boats enough depth to leave the Harbor. “Dredging is probably always going to be controversial no matter how well we know the science, and no matter how well we perform it, it’s a decision we have to make as to how we often and frequently we change the Harbor depth,“ says Izenstark. Foss will be retiring soon from the Port District but still working… on getting more federal funds for the Harbor and encouraging more people to sail. The last small craft harbor built on the on West Coast, Santa Cruz Harbor was constructed in the 1950’s at the request of fisherman who wanted a safe place for their boats. Now it needs more recreational boaters to fill slips. “Sailing needs a comeback in Santa Cruz. It takes a little time, it’s not like turning a key,” says Foss. Yet, Krista Lighthall says, “Once someone goes sailing it’s infectious.” In this age of constant communication, sailing is one of the few places you can truly escape; from the Internet, cell phone calls from the office, and TV white noise. Out in the deep Monterey Bay, it’s just you and Mother Nature and some curious seals, indifferent sea otters, and hungry pelicans. Using ancient, simple techniques of capturing wind to puff up sails, sailors glide hulls over rolling swells with grey and humpback whales in the distance. The feel of the wind whipping through your hair as you steer past the lighthouse into the rocky entrance of the Marine Sanctuary and ride waves next to jumping porpoises doesn’t have to remain a dream, it’s in your backyard. Welcome aboard! -END-ResourcesChardonnay II831-423-1213 www.chardonnay.com Lighthall Charters www.lighthallcharters.com 831-429-1970O’Neill Sea Odyssey www.oneillseaodyssey.org 831-465-9390O’Neill Yacht Charter www.oneillyachtcharters.com 831-475-1561Pacific Yachting & Sailing www.Pacificsail.com (831) 423-SAILPegasus Racing www.pegasus.com Santa Cruz Yacht Club www.scyc.org 831-425-0690Santa Cruz Harbor www.santacruzharbor.org (831) 475-6161Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitor’s Council www.santacruzca.org 831.425.1234UCSC Boating Classes Email: ucscboat@ucsc.edu (831) 425-1164Wizard YachtsFastisfun.com 831-476-9639 For more information call (831) 425-1164 or e-mail us: ucscboat@ucsc.edu

Eating Your Way Round the World in a Weekend
By: Ruth Carlson
Photos by Rich Carlson

For my birthday I wanted a trip around the globe. Instead, my thoughtful (thrifty) husband Rich said he would save
 me from the hassle of airport security lines, squeezing into a tiny plane seat for hours, packing for all climates and
 the guilt of leaving a huge carbon footprint. He booked us a weekend in San Francisco where you can sample a
 taste of the world’s best food. There’s Little Italy, the French quarter, one of only three Japantowns in the U.S.,
 a restaurant run for generations by a Portuguese fishing family, and an authentic Chinatown. Food is revered here
 and thanks to the multicultural population you can attend a different culinary church three times a day. 
France

Recovering Catholics (like me) can repent in the French quarter, Belden Place, (www.belden-place.com) near
 the Financial District. The alleyway is filled with outdoor tables European style that are protected from the wind
 by office buildings. At Cafe Bastille and Plouf, named after the sound a stone makes when it drops into a French
 stream, wear your big black sunglasses and discreetly glance over your menu at rendezvousing stockbrokers sporting
 bespoke suits from the new Prada store in Union Square. My friend Bill Katis works nearby and says, “On a nice day
 sitting outside on this tiny block is the greatest place in world.” While you’re in the neighborhood pop into
 Cafe Claude (www.cafeclaude.com), the next street over, where the owner fell in love with a restaurant going
 out of business in Paris and had all of the décor shipped to San Francisco. My friend Deborah Kuhl, a Parisian
 resident for a decade, said their potatoes au gratin made her homesick for France. 

Italy

Book a walk with Tom Medin, owner of Local Tastes of the City Tours, (www.localtastesofthecitytours.com)
 to meet the owners of small, family-owned restaurants in North Beach, nicknamed Little Italy. “Great food is sensual,
 there’s a passion attached to it,” says Medin. “Even cappuccino is an aphrodisiac if it’s prepared the right way,” he says,
 and the one I sipped at Caffe Roma had me considering running away with the charming septuagenarian owner to his
 vacation home in Rome. During the tour you sample slices of the only salami still made in San Francisco; cannelloni
 from an ancient Sicilian recipe at Victoria’s Pastry Co., and “bread with a soul,” as Medin describes the sourdough loaves
 that bake in a hundred-year-old brick oven.


Portugal

I can’t imagine the view is any better by a seaside restaurant in Portugal than the Cliff House’s ever-changing parade of
 passing freighters, sailboats, and windsurfers along the Pacific Ocean. This 144-year-old SF institution, recently
 renovated, defies the old adage that great views equal bad food. There are two restaurants here, the trendy Sutro and
 retro Bistro. When the long time manager Dan Hountalas tried to do away with traditional dishes the patrons revolted so
 he quickly reinstated throwbacks like Crab Louis and eggs benedict. Hountalas, who literally grew up across the street
 after his fisherman relatives emigrated from Portugal, loves to show guests the gallery of black and while photographs
 of classic movie stars who visited in the 40’s ad 50’s. Don’t be surprised if today’s celebs including Nicolas Cage, Robin
 Williams, Sean Penn, Sharon Stone and Benjamin Bratt are eating brunch in a booth below the pictures.

Japan

Another famous local resident has helped transform Japantown. My friend Beth, a San Francisco resident, complains that,
 “My hubby and I go there often -- only now that Robert Redford has acquired the old (Kabuki) theater and turned it into
 a "destination" movie emporium, we feel like our little secret is out.” It may be bad news for her but it’s good news for
 the rest of us. This is going to the movies San Francisco style, with three restaurants to choose from and reclining leather
 seats you wish you had at home, complete with holders for your pinot noir. Instead of popcorn, the menu offers grilled
 hanger steak with truffled frites. (www.sundancecinemas.com).

Stay nearby at the Hotel Kabuki, (www.jdvhotels.com) adjacent to the hot Fillmore Street shopping district, where
 Swedish, French, New York and Asian designer boutiques will make sure you stand out in a crowd. The hotel features
 traditional Japanese-style deep-soaking tubs (furos), free nightly sake tasting and wine for the timid. After checking in,
 guests are treated to a free in-room tea ceremony.


China 

An elaborate gate of green patina beckons visitors to the Grant Street entrance of Chinatown where your senses are
 overwhelmed by the sights and sounds: drummers performing next to a human “dragon” costume slithering through
 an alleyway, school children in uniforms entering red roof pagodas, and elders practicing the ancient art of Tai Chi
 in a park. Sadly, the so-called ‘meanest waiter in San Francisco’, Edsel Ford Wong, who screamed at diners who didn’t
 leave an appropriate tip, is gone, but his restaurant Sam Wo (813 Washington St., 415) 982-0596) still has many
 nostalgic fans. The walk up three flights of the narrow building is worth it for traditional Chinese fare at discount prices.
 Open till three am every day but Sunday, it attracts a young crowd after the bars close at two.

England

A 24-hour on call butler service at the St. Regis Hotel, (www.starwoodhotels.com), located in the hip south of
 market district (SOMA), includes a bath service with chocolates and Krug champagne. The Resort’s service is so
 good it’s scary. Like Scotland Yard, the employees communicate via hidden high tech devices so you they can greet
 you by name and anticipate your needs.

California

Lets face it, most people consider wacky Californians another country anyway so I say embrace it! When the 1989
 earthquake caused part of the freeway to collapse, city leaders realized it was hiding a treasure, the Ferry Building.
 It’s been converted into a temple of food (www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com). Arcades are marked by with
 signs promoting the culinary contributions of Bay Area cities including Sonoma goat cheese, Berkeley olive bread,
 Napa olive oil, Mt. Shasta beef, and SF Bay Dungeness crab. Don’t miss the salted dark chocolate caramels at
 Recchiuti, which beat the French in a competition and farm-raised California Osetra caviar at Tsar Nicoulai Café.
Reserve early if you want to eat at the Slanted Door. This Vietnamese street food gone upscale attracts notables such
 as Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton. Or grab a stool facing the window at the casual Hog Island Oyster Company and linger
 over a platter of Tomales Bay oysters as you gaze at ferries navigating between seals and sea otters.
If you’re lucky enough to visit on a Tuesday or Saturday, the farmer’s market, (www.ferryplazafarmersmarket.com),
 will be in full swing along the Embarcadero. Up to 15,000 people shop here for the best organic fruit and vegetables,
 including Alice Waters, whom many credit with creating the California cuisine movement in the 1970s. 
Foodies can easily spend a day here and that evening walk across the street to the Hyatt Embarcadero
 (sanfranciscoregency.hyatt.com). The famous rotating restaurant on the top floor has been converted into a VIP floor,
 but the glass elevators made famous in the Mel Brooks movie High Anxiety are still operating in the atrium lobby.
 Its just steps from the landmark California Street Cable Car line in case you’re tired of walking around the world.

Restaurants open and close in “The City” as often as the fog rolls in over the Golden Gate Bridge, so check the San
 Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau (www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com) for the latest hot spots. That way you
 can be assured of eating the best of the globe’s delights without traveling too far from home.

Home by Design CARMEL CALIFONRIA  by Ruth Carlson

Reconnect in a California Weekend

By: Ruth Carlson

Titles indicate our status in life. Companies put our job titles on our 
business cards, cubicles or office doors so we remember the role they 
think is most important. This title pays the bills, but our other titles, 
like wife, mom, aunt, sister, and friend, have the greatest emotional 
value. 

To cash in on your relationship investments, leave behind the hassles 
of work and home and relax with the special people in your life. 
California is rich with destination spots, so you can get a spa 
treatment with sis, take your nephew on a boat ride, and rediscover 
that person you married, all in a weekend.  

Carmel for Kids
I earned favorite Auntie status after taking my nephew Mehdi, 9, and 
niece Linda, 11, to the Monterey Peninsula. We stayed in a suite at 
the Quail Lodge in sunny Carmel Valley, a kid friendly hotel. 
Go ahead, the let the kids raid the mini-bar--snacks and drinks 
are free! The hotel stocks the pantry with mini coke bottles, 
cookies, chips and salsa and beer and wine for mom and dad.

While my husband Rich enjoyed the 18-hole championship golf course, 
the kids and I went for a boat ride. Science Under Sail is a 
65-foot boat that lets kids become marine biologists for three 
hours. Mehdi was fascinated with collecting plankton and examining 
it under microscopes, Linda liked holding the orange and pink 
starfish, and I enjoyed a morning on the Bay. On the way back to 
the marina, the captain talked about keeping the sea environment 
clean while letting each kid take a turn at the helm.

Back at the Lodge, we played our own version of miniature 
golf on the hotels’ series of putting greens. When they finally 
tuckered out, we snuggled into our beds, (Linda called it sleeping 
on a cloud), to watch our free movie rentals on the plasma TV.  

Their favorite pastime turned out to be the least expensive…
stepping on the bathroom scale every few minutes to see if 
their weight had fluctuated. At their age, they were 
hoping to gain weight. Note to self: buy my sister Debbie 
a scale so she has a few minutes to herself.

Puttin on the Ritz

I owed my husband after the kiddie invasion, so I booked 
a weekend just for us at the Ritz in Half Moon Bay, a resort 
resembling a 19th century Scottish castle. With it’s 
location on a bluff overlooking 50 miles of Northern 
California coastline, the Ritz feels like you are in 
another country.

Pay the extra fee for access to the Club Floor…you’ll earn 
your money back quickly with five free meal services and 
champagne!  Do save some room to eat at Navio though. 
With teak ceiling and floors and views of the Pacific, 
it’s like dining in a cozy ship’s cabin. Try the prix 
fix dinner pairing a different wine with each dish.

While my husband played golf on the older and tougher of 
the two link courses, I had the best facial of my life in 
the spa. Although the pumpkin body peel, inspired by the 
area’s status as the pumpkin capital of the world, tempted me, 
I opted for the French Carita Renovateur facial.  The attendant 
massages your face with sunflower seeds, clove, thyme, and lemon. 
My skin looked and felt younger and I saved a bundle on plastic surgery.

My new face needed new clothes to complement it and fortunately 
the spa boutique has a great selection of lingerie, lacy dresses 
and beaded camisoles.  Even after hiding my purchases in my suitcase, 
so Rich wouldn’t see them, I had time to kill, so I walked 
along the boardwalk in between the golf course and the ocean, 
a long stretch open to the public and overlooking  the waves.

If you can tear yourself away from the view, the historic Half 
Moon Bay downtown is worth a visit. Founded in 1840, Half Moon Bay’s 
Main Street could be in a Norman Rockwell painting. It’s made for a 
lazy afternoon browsing boutiques, art galleries and antique stores.

Girl’s Golf Getaway
With two toddlers, it’s difficult for my sister Carrie to get away, 
but she needed a break. Since she lives in Los Angeles, we met about 
an hour away at the Temecula Creek Inn. Although it’s close to urban 
areas, Temecula Valley has managed to hang on to its old West 
origins, including a daily re-enactment of a gunfighter shootout 
in the center of town. Old Town Temecula has wooden boardwalks and 
hitching posts for horses in front of modern boutiques and art 
galleries. Our favorite store was the Temecula Olive Oil Company, run 
by two girlfriends. Stock up on their unusual gifts like basil and 
citrus olive oil, olive oil soap and lotion.

Besides the Old Town and the wineries, people visit Temecula for 
the golf. The San Jacinto Mountains, and no homes, surround the 
beautiful Temecula Creek Inn golf course, which made me better 
about my erratic splice. One lesson with the golf pro cured my hiccup 
and gave me a new personal best...a 175 yard drive!

This deserved a celebration, so Carrie and I boarded the Grapevine, 
a bus that takes you to the local wineries, keeps track of your 
purchases, and provides lunch. Temecula can’t compete with Napa in 
the chardonnay department, but the red wines and ports are worth 
taking home. People come from all over the state to buy Mount Palomar’s 
award winning cream sherry. 
I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not just for granny anymore…
this sherry is a great desert wine or aperitif.

For dinner we relaxed at the Temet Grill, one of the best restaurants 
in the area and conveniently located in our resort. For a special event, 
book the Inn’s 180-year-old stonehouse, a former restaurant for quarry 
men who worked in the surrounding hills.

Old Home Week
When my husband’s high school reunion, (San Leandro High), and my 
college reunion coincided, (UC Berkeley), it was the perfect excuse 
to spoil ourselves by staying at the Claremont Resort. When you walk 
in the lobby, you expect to see the Nick and Nora character from the 
Thin Man move. The vintage black and white photos of women in gloves 
and men in fedoras lining the lobby walls contrasts favorably with the 
modern Paragon bar and cafe overlooking the San Francisco skyline and bay. 
Spend the day playing tennis, or swimming laps and order lunch poolside 
from the Bayview Café.

When you’re ready for dinner, walk down the hill to Montclair, 
a charming neighborhood with European style boutiques and restaurants 
frequented by Cal professors. We returned to a restaurant I had visited 
alone 24 yeas ago when my boyfriend, (now my husband), and I had briefly 
separated. Despondently wondering whether Rich and I would ever get 
back together, I ordered comfort food, chicken potpie.  With our 22-year 
anniversary coming up, we decided my entree must have been good luck, 
so we both ordered it that night.

With all these options so close to home it’s easy to regain your title 
as someone in a loved one’s life. It doesn’t matter which spot you choose, 
the important thing is spending a weekend just with them.

Afterwards, you won’t need another vacation but you’ll want one to get 
your priorities straight. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen my cousin 
in Napa lately and there’s a new hotel in Tiburon I’ve been dying to 
check out. Sorry I can’t finish this article-gotta go pack!

Details
Quail Lodge
www.quaillodge.com

Science Under Sail
www.mbayaq.org

Monterey Bay Aquarium
www.mbayaq.org/

Ritz Half Moon Bay
www.ritzcarlton.com
Check their website for “locals only” specials and outdoor jazz concerts 

Temecula Creek Inn
www.temeculacreekinn.com

Temecula Olive Oil Company
Front & Main Street
Old Town Temecula, CA 
951-693-0607
www.awesome-oil.com

Claremont Resort
www.claremontresort.com