This Week on the Central Coast…
There is art everywhere! A Salinas film makes it to Sundance, Watsonville is calling on local artists, and a Wes Anderson-inspired exhibition is at the Santa Cruz MAH.
Monterey
Carmel Belle, a hidden gem tucked away inside the Doud Arcade on San Carlos Street, is changing hands. However, your favorite smoothies, lattes, soups, salads, and breakfasts are all safe. “We’re going to keep it the same and build on what’s been created here.” Says soon-to-be new owners, Jeff and Chantel Nelson, who are expected to close escrow in a couple weeks.
The couple live in Carmel Valley and have a long history in the hospitality industry. Jeff has held restaurant manager positions at both The Quail and Bernardus Lodge, and his latest position was Food and Beverage Manager at Bayonet and Black Horse golf club. They currently have their own catering business called Rising to the Occasions.
Jeff is an avid baker himself, nurturing a sourdough starter since the pandemic years. His talents have led him to create more than the typical artisanal boules to focaccia, cinnamon rolls, and burger buns as well. “It’s not unusual to see me proofing bread in the car while I drive our son to water polo practice,” he says.
Fans of Carmel Belle need not worry; the new owners have been working the counter, getting to know the fans, and reassuring everyone that they will not change the menu. However, additions to the menu are not out of the question. Expect to see some of Jeff’s baked goods adding to the cafe offerings.
Carmel Belle is open every day from 8am to 5:30pm.
Salinas
Documentary Short Film Selected for Sundance
“The Long Valley” is a thirteen minute documentary short that attempts to bridge the gap between photography and film. It is also one of only 57 films to be selected for the Sundance Film Festival this year.
The documentary “showcases the daily lives and landscapes in Monterey County’s agricultural communities“. Central and South American immigrant families are at the center of the story, showing how absolutely essential these communities are to the area. It is these groups that are responsible for much of the production that makes the Salinas Valley “The Salad Bowl of the World”.
The film was created by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian. The pair are no strangers to the area, having grown up and worked around Monterey County. “Ojeda-Beck taught in the Cinematic Arts and Technology department at California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB), and Machoian grew up in King City.”
The film premiered as part of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah this week.
Santa Cruz
Watsonville Calling on Artists to Help Establish Its Identity
Watsonville has done a lot over the past decade to showcase the amount of artists who live there. From murals and sculptures to musicians and filmmakers, there is no shortage of talent coming from the city. Now, the city is looking to expand its message by promoting the Watsonville Arts Plan.
The goal of the plan is to “[implement] a public art program that highlights the city’s heritage and culture while providing a vision for expanding further through programs and events.” To achieve this, the City of Watsonville is looking for two local creatives to help it. First, an artist is needed to help develop a new logo for Watsonville Arts, as well as several icons to represent the various creative outlets important to the city. A filmmaker is also needed to “create a promotional video highlighting the diversity of Watsonville arts.” The finished video will be a minute and a half to two minutes long and will show the community participating in various arts.
Interested artists have until February 10 to apply on the city’s website.
Accidentally Wes Anderson Exhibit at the MAH
Accidentally Wes Anderson (AWA) started as an online phenomenon and community that found real-life locations that could have originated in one of the eccentric director’s movies. The photographs are often symmetrical, full of color, and have a distinct quirkiness to them.
Now, much like the images in the AWA community, the community itself has popped out of the internet and into reality with the help of a series of art exhibits. From now through mid-May, you can visit the Santa Cruz Museum of Art History and rediscover the Central Coast through the lens of a Wes Anderson Film. The AWA exhibit features photos from around the world that will inspire you to go out and see them for yourself. Expect to see plenty of Santa Cruz, especially with this being the Beach Boardwalk’s Giant Dipper’s centennial celebration.
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art History is open Thursday through Sunday from 12pm to 6pm. Admission is $10 and free for children under 5 years old.