This Week on the Central Coast…
Snowy Plovers rescued, pesticide alerts made available, a new bakery in Aptos, and VegFest comes to Santa Cruz
Monterey
Snowy Plovers Hatched at the SPCA
Last week, the SPCA Monterey Wildlife Center hatched two snowy plovers that had been rescued by the nonprofit Point Blue Conservation Science. You’ve probably seen Snowy Plovers on our beaches. I know I’ve misidentified them as Sand Pipers before. They have long legs and short bodies and can have black patches on their heads.
The small birds are considered “near threatened” with populations declining. They are an indicator species, meaning the size of their presence in an area can show how healthy the ecosystem is. More is better. They only nest on beaches where they don’t feel threatened, such as those not frequented by people. Prior to 1970 they nested at 53 locations in California, while today they nest in only half as many sites.
Snowy Plovers help by eating small mollusks and insects on the beach. This helps to overall maintain the health of the ecosystem, but also benefits humans who might visit during non-nesting times. Their eggs are camouflaged to look like the sand and parents must sit with the nest constantly to avoid exposing them to cold temperatures. To help, the SPCA says “avoid bringing pets to nesting beaches, respect fenced-off areas, and note their breeding season runs from March through September.
Pesticide Spray Days Available Online
California launched a first-in-the-nation program called Spray Days that shows residents when certain pesticides are being sprayed in their area. “More than a third of America’s vegetables and three-quarters of the nation’s fruits and nuts are grown in California.“
You can join the list by simply signing up with your email address on the website. The service will alert you when a pesticide will be sprayed within twenty-four hours in your immediate area. This should give ample time to prepare by closing windows and bringing in toys and dog supplies from outside. While California has dialed back on the amount of pesticides used, heavy winds can still carry the sprays long distances and can affect sensitive areas, like schools and daycares. Spray Days are not meant to complicate anything for farmers. They use existing information from each farm’s website and make it available to the public.
Santa Cruz
New Bakery: Emilie and the Frenchies
A new bakery called Emilie and the Frenchies opened in Aptos last week. The “Califrenchie” concept brings an authentic French vibe to the former location of Carried Away catering in the Aptos Center.
The start of the business can be traced back to 1995 when manager Mary Jane Dean’s family hosted a girl named Celine as a high school student. Celine quickly came to love Santa Cruz life and took some of that with her when she traveled back to France. Celine and her neighbor, Emilie found they shared a love of good coffee and pastries and decided to open a cafe modeled off the American ones Celine frequented in Aptos. They called it Emilie’s Cookies. It was so successful that it grew into a franchise called Emilie and the Cool Kids with 30 locations.
Fast forward thirty years and Emilie is the one now in Aptos with Mary Jane. Emilie and the Frenchies highlights “fresh, made in-house French Provençal dishes and the desire to unite their two countries around the pleasure of eating well”. The menu features a variety of French pastries using Emilie’s original recipes, except “we don’t do croissants (our lovely neighbors already nailed that)”. And if sugary treats aren’t your thing, they offer a selection of tartines for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch, with bread coming from the local Companion and Kelly’s bakeries.
“Opening hours run 7am-4pm Wednesday-Sunday, with an official grand opening May 7, complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Aptos Chamber of Commerce at noon, and pastry samples until 2pm.”
A vegan-centric festival is coming to the Santa Cruz Fairgrounds in Watsonville at the end of the month. VegFest invites people to celebrate and learn about a plant-based, cruelty-free, environmentally-friendly lifestyle. The festival will feature over 100 vendors, including vegan restaurants and treats; beer, wine, and cider; live music; speakers; cooking demos; and even a comedy show. Kids activities include vegan face-painting, bounce houses, and a drag story time
The event will be on Saturday, May 31, from 11am to 6pm. Tickets are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. Children under 12 can enter for free.
Thanks for reading!
Psst… I’ve started a Big List of Happy Hours found around coastal Monterey County. It’s a small list for now, but it will grow over time. Check it out!