F4 EZ EE THE WASHINGTON POST.SUNDAY, MAY 29 , 2022
Mike Rugg was only too happy to
regale us with tales of his life-
defining childhood Bigfoot sight-
ing. After a circuitous career path
that included building hammer
dulcimers and a stint “pushing
pixels” in Silicon Valley, Rugg
followed his heart and opened the
museum in 2004. Along with a
diorama of Bigfoot in the wilder-
ness, the collection includes plas-
ter footprint casts, pop-culture
items, photographs and assorted
ephemera. As we spoke, Rugg
pulled out a 37-page term paper
on the existence of the elusive
biped, written while he was a
student at Stanford. “My profes-
sor told me I hadn’t made my
case,” he said, reading aloud the
comment written below the
scrawled C grade. “Anything is
possible,” he said. “I gave myself
permission to believe.”
Hoping to add our own pin to
Rugg’s map of Bigfoot sightings,
we charted a course for Pogonip
Open Space Preserve. Set on 640
acres alongside the UC Santa
Cruz campus, the park boasts
more than 11 miles of trails, in-
cluding the multiuse track named
for trail advocate and equestrian
Emmy McCrary.
With the kids on map duty, webegan at a trailhead near my son’s
dorm and headed downhill
toward the oak-sheltered Spring
Trail. Connecting with Spring Box
Trail and keeping our fingers
crossed for Bigfoot or the ru-
mored secret koi pond, we even-
tually paused where three old-
growth redwoods, too gnarly to
be cut during the logging binge of
the 1800s, stand guard over a
square cement-lined pond known
as a “spring box.” Catching a flash
of orange beneath the water’s
surface, my daughter dropped to
her knees to admire the blaze of
fin and tail.
Similarly colored, but rarer
than goldfish in the forest, are the
flowers of the plant genus Bank-
sia in the Australian gardens at
the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum &
Botanic Garden. Sprawling over
135 acres, this “living museum”
focuses on the preservation and
protection of rare and unique
plants from around the world.
While the pincushion Protea
flower was recognizable from
grocery story bouquets, other ex-
amples, such as the furry, pinkish
teddy bear banksia, seemed
straight out of science fiction.
These jagged-leaf plants and
shrubs with their Seussianblooms are built to survive fire.
Some, like the Banksia serrata,
have large seed pods that open
like clamshells in extreme heat,
while others sprout new foliage
from a scorched base.
On our last evening, my hus-
band and I wandered the Santa
Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The kids,
full of their own agency, appeared
and disappeared. Above us, the
bright, twirling ride known as the
Sea Swings began another rota-
tion. With its cargo of humans
reaching arms and legs toward
the sunset, it was reminiscent of
the needlelike petals of the bank-
sia flowers. Just beyond the
lights of the midway, the ocean
lay dark and unknowable. The
bark of distant sea lions
echoed over the water, easily dis-
cernible despite the roar of the
Giant Dipper coaster. I was
struck by the slim line between
the natural and artificial worlds
of Santa Cruz. I felt held there in a
worry-free zone, where questions
about the future stretched only as
far as what to have for dinner. It
was a fleeting feeling, but magical
in its own way.Goodman is a writer based in Los
Angeles. Her website is
tanyawardgoodman.com. Find her on
Twitter: @campfiresally.If You Go
WHERE TO EAT
Charlie Hong Kong
1141 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, Calif.
831-426-56 64
charliehongkong.com
This neighborhood favorite offers a
sustainable menu heavy on
noodles, rice and fresh veggies.
Open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rice
bowls from $8.75, wraps from
$4.50.
Windmill Cafe
2123 1 E. Cliff Dr.
831-464-46 98
windmillcafesantacruz.com
Enjoy breakfast, brunch and lunch
on a serene patio surrounded by
blooming gardens. Fresh-baked
pastries cater to vegan, vegetarian
and gluten-free tastes. Open daily, 8
a.m. to 2 p.m. Entrees from $8.50.
Seabright Deli
415 Seabright Ave.
831-515-7 484
seabrightdeli.com
Takeaway sandwiches piled high
with house-smoked brisket and
turkey or roasted vegetables are
perfect for an alfresco meal at the
beach or in the woods. OpenCLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The sun rises behind the Walton
Lighthouse, gilding the sand of Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz,
Calif.; Mike Rugg, proprietor of the Bigfoot Discovery Museum;
the sun sets at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, home to the
Looff Carousel and the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster;
dwarfed by redwood trees, the author’s family searches for a
mystery koi pond in the Pogonip Open Space Preserve.BY TANYA WARD GOODMANAt the self-described “gravita-
tional anomaly” known as the
Mystery Spot, our guide wielded a
carpenter’s level like a magic
wand, revealing a stream of water
that appeared to run uphill. He
asked our group to practice say-
ing “Ooh” and “Ah,” before con-
ducting us in a chorus of amaze-
ment. “At the center of the anom-
aly,” the teenager explained, ham-
ming it up, “the normal rules of
gravity and physics will cease to
apply.”
Built in 1941, the roadside at-
traction set on a steep, wooded
incline in Santa Cruz, Calif., is a
prime example of what’s known
as a “tilt box” — a hillside struc-
ture built to intensify visual illu-
sion. We marveled at a billiard
ball rolling backward and
snapped photos of each other
standing at seemingly impossible
angles. We knew there had to be a
trick. We didn’t want to know the
trick.
When my husband and I
packed up our high school senior
daughter and her friend for a long
weekend, college admissions
were just beginning to trickle in
and uncertainty was thick in the
air. Our son, midway through his
second year at UC Santa Cruz, had
only slightly more information
about college life than his young-
er sister. Because of pandemic-re-
lated restrictions, he had com-
pleted his first year at home, and
although he now lived on cam-
pus, online classes had kept him
isolated from many of the rituals
and routines that had been part of
my own college experience.
Weary from the effort of get-
ting back to normal — whatever
that was — we left much of the
trip planning to kismet and syn-
chronicity, grateful for a chance
to lose ourselves in the magic
generated by anomalies, tower-
ing redwoods and sea air.
We’d found a wee brick-
colored beach cottage on Airbnb
that presented a cozier alterna-
tive to double hotel rooms and
tilted us toward whimsy. “When
you stay in the house, you are
literally meeting my grandpar-
ents,” said owner Kelsey Ham-
mond, who, after inheriting the
place at age 23, got a quick lesson
in deferred maintenance, build-
ing codes and construction. “It
was herculean,” she says of the
renovation. “But 20 years later,
this is still where we feel love.” We
didn’t need to stage a séance to
feel the legacy of good vibes.
Just steps from the sand, the
cottage and others like it owe
their continued existence to a
historic preservation plan adopt-
ed by the city of Santa Cruz in
- The plan, which places lim-
its on demolition and construc-
tion, turns a drive down any
street into a survey of commercial
and residential architecture dat-
ing from the mid-1800s to the
present and adds a layer of inter-
est to eating out.
On a search for dinner, we were
drawn in by the eye-
catching red-and-green paint job
on a repurposed 1950s ice cream
stand, and we found ourselves at
Charlie Hong Kong, an Asian
fusion hot spot in Year 25 of its
mission to create healthy, sus-
tainable food. My vegan daugh-
ter, delighted by the plant-based
menu options, devoured a bowl of
spicy peanut noodles with tofu.
Nearly all bowls were priced un-
der $10 and big enough to share,
which left a little room in the
budget for a trip to the Penny Ice
Creamery for locally churned ice
cream served out of a Spanish
Revival-style complex with
wrought-iron details and a red
tile roof.
We started our second day with
a spin past the Red Brick Castle.
Built in the 1940s by Kenneth
Kitchen, the estate is a mash-up
of Turkish and South Asian influ-
ences, with recurring arches, tow-
ering spires and loads of abalone
and tile inlay. Long the subject of
curiosity and conjecture, the
abandoned property was pur-
chased and restored by Artina
Morton and her husband, Doug-
las Harr, before being put back on
the market. The private residence
remains a monument to creativi-
ty and self-expression and is
worth a sidewalk gander.
Our tour of the unexplained
continued at the Bigfoot Discov-
ery Museum, where proprietor
In Santa Cruz, Calif., mystery only adds to the magicWednesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 4
p.m. Sandwiches from $14.95,
wraps from $13.95.
Pizza My Heart
1116 Pacific Ave.
831-426-2511
pizzamyheart.com
Founded in 1981, this string of
family-owned pie shops is “stoked”
to provide unique combos such as
the fig and bacon Figgy Piggy and
the award-winning Little Sur, loaded
with 40 cloves of roasted garlic.
Hands down, the best vegan pizza
we’ve ever had. Open daily, 11 a.m.
to midnight. Twelve-inch pizzas
$19. 50 , 14-inch $27.50, 18-inch
$36.50. Slices from $4.75.
Shopper’s Corner
622 Soquel Ave.
831-423-13 98
shopperscorner.com
This market, which has served
Santa Cruz since 193 8, has a great
selection of California wines, fresh
bread, locally grown produce and
snacks. An ideal spot to stock a
cottage fridge. Open Monday to
Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the
general public and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
for seniors; open Saturday and
Sunday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Penny Ice Creamery
913 Cedar St.
831-204-25 23
thepennyicecreamery.com
The lines are worth it to try made-
from-scratch ice cream inspired by
seasonal fruits, flowers and herbs.
Flavors change often and include
options such as bitter caramel and
strawberry pink peppercorn. Savor
the scent of warm waffle cones as
you make your choice. Open daily,
noon to 11 p.m. Single scoops from
$5.50.WHAT TO DO
UC Santa Cruz Arboretum &
Botanic Garden
1156 High St.
831-502-29 98
arboretum.ucsc.edu
This collection of rare and unusual
plants serves as both classroom
and museum. Open daily, 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. Admission $10 adults, $8
seniors 65 and over, $5 children
ages 6 to 17. Free for children under
6, UC Santa Cruz students and
members.
Mystery Spot
465 Mystery Spot Rd.
831-423-88 97
mysteryspot.com
Challenge your understanding of
gravity and perspective on a guided
tour of this California Historical
Landmark attraction. Is the
mysterious force created by
extraterrestrials, bio-cosmic
radiation, a particularly wide hole in
the ozone or a trick of the eye?
Advance ticket purchase
recommended. On-site ticket and
parking pass purchases by cash or
check only; credit cards accepted
online and in gift shop. Admission
$8 per person, plus $5 parking fee.
Bigfoot Discovery Museum
549 7 Hwy. 9, Felton, Calif.
831-335-44 78
bigfootdiscoveryproject.com
Dedicated to ongoing public
education about mystery primates
around the world, this small
museum is packed with
memorabilia and artifacts and
makes a point to teach reverence
for wildlife and conservation.
Admission is free, but donations
keep the doors open. Hours vary;
call to confirm.
Pogonip Open Space Preserve
501 and 410 Golf Club Dr.
bit.ly/pogonip-santa-cruz
This wild space is accessible from
numerous points on the UC Santa
Cruz campus and in the
surrounding neighborhood. No
official parking; check website for
maps, parking recommendations
and entry points. Open April
through October, sunrise to 7 p.m.,
and November through March until
4 p.m. Free.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
400 Beach St.
831-423-55 90
beachboardwalk.com
This beachside funland is a home
to the magnificent Looff Carousel
and the hair-raising Giant Dipper
wooden roller coaster, each a
National Historic Landmark. Hours
vary seasonally; check website for
hours. Ride hours vary; check
website. Arcades open daily, 10
a.m. to 10 p.m. Free admission, but
tickets needed for attractions; ride
wristbands from $29.95 per
person. Tickets for rides and games
$1. (The Giant Dipper is $8 per
ride.)INFORMATION
santacruz.orgPHOTOS BY TANYA WARD GOODMAN FOR THE WASHINGTON POSTI was struck by theslim line betweenthe natural andartificial worlds ofSanta Cruz. I feltheld there in aworry-free zone.