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08.12.10

Farm Charms

Down-to-earth entertainment and fresh farm foods collide on the Santa Cruz coast. Spend the weekend nibbling and noshing, toss in a two-step, and leave with a smile wider than a country mile.  

Pie Ranch Barn Dance

Barn Burner

If you think barns are for cows and chickens then you haven't been to Pie Ranch for the barn dance. On the third Saturday of the month this blink-and-you'll-miss-it spot on Highway 1 blows the roof off. The nonprofit farm teaches sustainable practices and gives attention to something commonly overlooked in our Web 2.0 world: (offline) community. At 6 p.m. a potluck starts things off. Bring a dish to share, spread a blanket and strike up a conversation. At 7 p.m. the band starts: guitars, fiddles, mandolins, and a dance caller set the barn bouncing. A few seasoned line dancers are in the mix, but generally footloose beginners take to the floor and go with the flow. Before you know it you'll be promenading, dosey-doing, and finding your two left feet: Grab your partner go round and round… down the middle… It's a barn good time, and that's not pie in the sky!

Pie Ranch, 2080 Cabrillo Highway (Hwy. 1), Pescadero; 650-879-0995. It's midway between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz and 8 miles south of Pescadero. The barn dance happens on the third Saturday of the month. Admission is $7 to $20 depending on the band. No dogs.

Activity
Relax
Region
Peninsula & South Bay
Santa Cruz Westside Farmers Market

Westside Story

Farmers markets are like fingerprints: no two are exactly alike. Some are large and filled with action; others are small and more subdued. Santa Cruz's Westside Farmers Market falls delightfully in the middle. What it lacks in size it makes up for in variety. Locals check off their grocery list at spryly named farms like Happy Boy, Twin Girls, and Dirty Girl. Fill your bag with must have been picked just hours ago produce. (Scoop up as many heirloom tomatoes as you can!) But it's not just the fruits and veggies: Companion Bakery offers inspired creations like lavender white-chocolate scones. The Santa Pasta Factory sells gourmet ravioli like pear and pecorino (pumpkin is also popular—get it before it's gone!). Hungry on the spot? Grab a slice of gourmet pizza from Uncle Ro's or order a hot and fresh gordita from a Mexican food stand that's unnamed. Take a seat under the large patio umbrellas in the center of the action, and kick back to live music. Who's ready to eat?

Santa Cruz's Westside Farmers Market happens Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round at 2801 Mission St. For a map and directions visit the Web site. No dogs.

Activity
Relax
Region
Peninsula & South Bay
Swanton Berry Farm u-pick

Fruits of Your Labor

If you're looking for a plucking good time get to Swanton Berry Farm's u-pick Coastways Ranch. The strawberries are plump and the blackberries are in their prime. Pick up a cardboard tray and some baskets; then it's off to the fields. The game plan: find strawberries up on the hill, and blackberries down below. The challenge: collecting the berries in your baskets, not in your mouth (though a little tasting never hurts). Weigh in at the end and pay for your share; prices here are less than at the grocery store. Berry good!

TIP: Swanton also has a farm stand location, 8.5 miles south of Coastways Ranch. Pop in for fresh baked goods, homemade jams, and organic strawberries.

Swanton Berry Farm's Coastways Ranch location is 28 miles south of Half Moon Bay on Hwy. 1 (a quarter-mile past the entrance to Año Nuevo). It's open everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Swanton Berry farm stand is another 8.5 miles south. Blackberries are $3 per pound and the season usually runs until the end of August. Strawberries are $2.50 per pound and season runs until the end of September. Call the info line at 831-469-8804 to check supply.

Activity
Relax
Region
Peninsula & South Bay
Monterey Bay Aquarium Share the Love

Sea of Love

Sure, saying "I love you" is good, but showing the love is irresistible. This summer, take that special someone to the Central Coast's sea of love, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and experience a connection that will have you seaing stars … sea stars, that is. Rekindle the connection as you stroll past the Secret Lives of Seahorses. (Males give birth––what paternal instincts!) Stare in wonder at the giant Pacific octopus; this beautiful, bashful and brainy character might just remind you of why you fell in love in the first place––whoosh! Enjoy a quiet stroll through the Kelp Forest, and share in the delight of children's laughter at the kid-friendly Splash Zone. At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, love isn't in the air… it's in the water.

BONUS: Turn the romance dial to 11 at the Aquarium's Evenings by the Bay. Enjoy live jazz, a glass of wine, and fewer crowds as you stroll the exhibits. Unlike true love, Evenings by the Bay comes to an end on Sept. 5.

Visit montereybayaquarium.org/love to share the love and plan your trip.

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