44 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} Sesame Korean Grill (435 Front Street) displays a grim depiction of a whale burdened by an oil refinery on its back. “I hope to convey the serious weight and stress that our land usage has on other beings we share this planet with,” describes Abi Mustapha in her artist statement. On the far side, find two more gems. A stunning scene of a leopard shark swimming through a field of poppies challenges the unwarranted stigma this species faces. Nearby, a monstrous (and shell-less) Little Mermaid goes to war for the ocean, her teeth bared, her hands gripped around a spear. Double back to Front Street until you reach the Front Street Parking Garage (601 Front Street). There, you’ll find four more Sea Walls masterpieces embellishing this structure. The most condemning of these, The Last Salmon by JEKS ONE, shows a businessman dining on a raw hunk of coho salmon. As he coolly inspects the food on his fork, the man doesn’t seem to notice that he’s neck-deep in the rising sea. Although the subject might willfully disregard the crisis he’s causing by feasting on an overfished species, it’s impossible for viewers to ignore this multi-story cry for conservation. At the next building, m. k. contemporary art (703 Front Street), you’ll find Owl You Need Is Love, a collaboration by the Made Fresh Crew. (Bonus points if you start humming the Beatles song.) If you’ve started overheating from the sun, duck inside the gallery for art and AC, then head next door to Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH). Time to refuel? Flit over to Firefly Tavern Santa Cruz, located right around the corner on Walnut Avenue. This upscale tavern serves Asian- and Southern-influenced fare like furikake popcorn with Japanese umami oil, Korean fried rice with house brisket and biscuits with honey lavender butter. Meanwhile, kids can order the I Don’t Care (buttered noodles with cheese) and the I Don’t Know (a beef corn dog with fries). Roxa Hammock Café, another nearby spot to rest your feet, describes itself as a “metaphysical tea house and elixir bar” with hammock chairs dangling from the ceiling everywhere you turn. Their alchemist-themed menu divides items into a periodic table, which ranges from acai bowls and gluten-free treats to drinks with names like Wolfsbane, Emperor’s Elixir and Piper’s Calling. Once revitalized, head to Locust Street for a history lesson on the side of Santa Cruz Somatic Bodywork & Yoga (108 Locust Street). Installed in 2011 for the historic building’s 100th anniversary, the muralist used old reference
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