Tea House Spa a Hidden Gem
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Question: Where in Santa Cruz can you relax in a hot tub that overlooks bamboo gardens, while being served tea, and then sweat out your toxins in a sauna, cool off with a shower, and end it all with a world class massage?
Answer: Tea House Spa
The Tea House Spa is tucked away on 112 Elm Street, just off Pacific, downtown. The Tea House Spa is actual the contemporary incarnation of a Bamboo sanctuary that has been nestled away in Santa Cruz since the 1940’s. Immediately upon arriving, one feels more relaxed and at peace as you walk past babbling waterfalls into the spa.
One look at the spa room make’s you stop and think. If you’re a guy, that thought is probably “wow, this would be the absolute perfect place to take a woman on a date.” And it’s true, it would be. From the hot tub with its beautiful views of the bamboo garden, pictured left, to the sauna 
also found inside your private room, to a cold shower to cool you off. They provide the towels and the tea, you provide the money.
So, at this point, you may be wondering what their rates are. Surprisingly, there rates are not too bad. If you want a room with just a tub, it’s going to run you $18 for one person, $28 for a couple. If you want a room with a tub and sauna, it will be $20 for one person, and $35 for a couple.
You can rent the room for a whole day with that special someone for $190 (for the tub) or $250 (for the tub and sauna), and an evening for $230 (for the tub) or $300 (for the tub and sauna).
Massages range from $55 for a half hour, to $140 for two hours. And then there is the couple’s special, which gives you one hour in the spa, and two one hour massages (one for each of you) and that costs $175 to $180 depending on the time and day.
My advice to all the gentlemen out there: if you’re looking for that perfect day, or a great way to celebrate an anniversary (whether it is the infamous one month, or the much-anticipated one year), this is the place to go. You’ll be impressed by its beauty and afterwards, you won’t want to leave.
However, I will say that with only a handful of tea’s to choose from, this “Tea House Spa” might not please true tea afficionados. Their selection is pretty basic. But let’s face it, you’re not going here for the tea selection.
Blaise Rosenthal Exhibit @ Felix Kulpa
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There is a wonderful exhibit on display right now at Felix Kulpa. For those who are unaware, Felix Kulpa is the art gallery located downtown at 107 Elm Street (open in google maps).
The exhibit is named “An Initial Approach to Knowing Everything” by Blaise Rosenthal. Rosenthal’s style here is reminiscent of 80’s videogames and conveys consisent themes of duality, good vs. evil, light vs. dark. An alternative title to this exhibit might be “Pacman: the later years”.
I sincerely recommend you check out the exhibit. I’ve posted only a single photo, because I don’t want to give anything away. The Kulpa is free (though there is a donation box), so next time you’re on Pacific, check it out.
This exhibit will run until September 28th.
Autumn Equinox Mystery Bike Ride
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The gathering began on Pacific. Rolling up for my first ever mystery bike ride, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I was greeted by a smiling, outgoing, energetic woman offering me trail mix. I kindly accepted it. The carob in the mix, as a substitute for chocolate, reminded me of trail mixes my mother made for me when I was a child. It was comforting in a strange way.
Friday afternoon at the Lane
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A few shots from steamer’s lane. Do you recognize any of the surfers?
9/11 Truth @ Veterans Memorial Center
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Tonight at the Veterans Memorial Center on Pacific and Front Street, a documentary about 9/11 aired to an audience of over 100 people from Santa Cruz.
It is a fact that the air quality at ground zero was a poisonous toxic cocktail of all the most hazardous building materials known to man -lead, asbestos, and more. The EPA administrator at the time, Christine Whitman, came out and publicly stated that there was no risk, that the air was safe. And yet seven years later, more than 50,000 rescue workers are now suffering terrible illnesses. Most are expected to die.
Reggae Dance Party on West Cliff
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Nobody knows who they are or where they come from. The one thing that is certain, though, is that these hippie stoners groove out to some rad reggae. On Wednesday night, September the 17th, a reggae dance party broke out on west cliff.
Bikers awkwardly made their way through the crowd as the people danced wildly, music thumped, and drum beat.
UCSC opens one week from today
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UCSC starts late in the year. Real late. The students love it.
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