Lost Coast Outpost

After spending the past few years establishing the Inn at 2nd and C Streets and Phatsy Kline’s Parlor Lounge as some of Eureka’s most chic destinations, 2020 was the year Eagle House owner Jennifer Metz had designated for “less stress and more success.” Well, you know how that went.

On the first episode of Humboldt Holding Up of 2021, Metz shares with LoCO how she and her staff switched up their game to try and make the most of the past pandemic-plagued year and assures us that Humboldt will party again (as soon as it’s safe to do so). Plus, we learn about her efforts to help reinvigorate Old Town by reimagining the historic Eagle House and she tells us about that time she ended up hiking through the redwoods with Bill Murray while he was a guest at the inn. Be jealous.

Click the player above to hear Metz’s chat with LoCO’s Stephanie McGeary and Andrew Goff and/or scroll our past guests below.

As we near the end of this crazy year and look forward to staying home for the holidays, your Outpost invites you to enjoy 2020's final episode of Humboldt Holding Up -- our pandemic-prompted podcast adventure.

This week we are joined by local drummer and sound engineer Mike "Tofu" Schwartz who discusses what needs to happen for live music to thrive again in Humboldt and what shows might look like in 2021 and beyond.

Other topics discussed with Schwartz include playing the "last party in the world" before the COVID shutdown in March. his local band résumé, the Absynth Quartet's new concept album, how he got the nickname Tofu and more!

On the heels of a Eureka City Council decision that temporarily prohibits the Humboldt Area Center for Harm Reduction (HACHR) from operating its syringe exchange program with the city limits, the nonprofit's executive director Lasara Firefox Allen joins the Outpost on this week's episode of Humboldt Holding Up to share their side of the story.

In addition to discussing these recent developments, Allen touches on why they feel the council's decision will have dangerous impacts on the community, the other services HACHR provides, the significance of harm reduction and how they developed a passion for the work

Though most of our alcohol consumption happens at home these days, it turns out that people do still drink during a pandemic (who knew?) and Alchemy Distillery — producer of Boldt whiskey, bourbon and gin — has been as busy as ever distributing its products to help make pandemic life a little more bearable. It also turns out that during a pandemic alcohol serves an even greater purpose than getting us sauced! Which is why earlier this year Alchemy temporarily shifted all its efforts to producing thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer to donate to local medical staff and other essential workers.

On this week’s episode of Humboldt Holding Up, co-owner of Alchemy Distiller Amy Bohner shares the story of how the business stepped up when sanitizer was in low supply and what else Alchemy has been up to during COVID.

Other topics discussed with Bohner include:

Genever style gin? What’s that?

The other family business, Alchemy Construction

What’s the story with this whiskey made out of bagels?

Bohner’s latest crazy whiskey project

Her great relationship with husband and business partner Steve and how his beard brought them together

So pour yourself a glass of your favorite spirit, and click the audio player above to hear Bohner’s chat with LoCO’s Andrew Goff and Stephanie McGeary and/ or scroll through past guests below. Please listen responsibly!

Your lonely turkey dinner has digested. Time to get your ears back into Humboldt's goings-on with another edition of Humboldt Holding Up, the Lost Coast Outpost's good-enough podcast thingy.This week: The second half of our attempt to get to know Eureka's newly elected council members. For more than a decade, Kati Moulton has worked with arts-related organizations in Humboldt (The Ink People Center for the Arts, Kinetic Universe, SCRAP Humboldt, etc.) and earlier this month she bested three other competitors to claim the Second Ward seat on the Eureka City Council. Click the audio player above to hear Moulton chat with LoCO's Stephanie McGeary and Andrew Goff on numerous topics, including:The factors that fueled her last-minute decision to run for councilKati Moulton? We thought you were Kati Texas!How her artist’s journey landed her to HumboldtHow she reached out to Eureka’s next generation of votersA discussion of potential uses for the decaying Jacobs Junior High School campus in her wardEureka’s push to become a hub for artistsWill there be a 2021 Kinetic Grand Championship?

LoCO checks in with likely Eureka City Councilmember Scott Bauer to ask what it's like to campaign during pandemic, why he chose to run and what he sees as the biggest issues facing Eureka.

When life knocks you off your bike, you just got to get back up and keep riding, even if you're 78 years old. At least, that's the attitude of local columnist Barry Evans, who is already back to cycling after his recent recovery from a pretty serious spill.

Evans tells us all about it in this week's episode of Humboldt Holding Up. The British-born writer also discusses how he landed in Eureka, his love for Old Town and how he's watched it adapt to the pandemic, his world travels and his background as a civil engineer.

Oh, and Evans also talks a bit about the latest installment of his column "Growing Old Ungracefully" and why he thinks Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will make a great leader amid the pandemic.

THIS WEEK: Arcata City Councilmember Sofia Pereira takes a break from refreshing the Nevada vote count to talk to LoCO about a post-Trump Arcata, new potential councilmembers and giving birth in the middle of a global pandemic.

It’s awfully quiet around here these days. Despite our remoteness and relatively low population, Humboldt has historically overachieved with regards to the number of quality touring musical acts we’ve been able to seduce behind the Redwood Curtain. Maybe it’s due to our being a halfway point between Portland and the Bay Area. Maybe it’s our reputation as a whimsical artist’s escape. Maybe it’s our famous music-enhancing products. Either way, over the years we’ve been spoiled by a high-caliber soundtrack.

Of course, our ample concert supplies were wiped out in March when COVID-19 silenced sound systems countywide. And few people have had to wrestle with that reality as much as Laurel Weston. For over a decade, Weston booked shows for Humboldt Brews in Arcata, inarguably one of the county’s most coveted stages. On this week’s episode of Humboldt Holding Up, LoCO speaks with Weston about losing the community role she’d built for herself to a global pandemic and also asks her what the odds are of rekindling our musical mojo. (Spoiler: It’s complicated.)

It’s awfully quiet around here these days. Despite our remoteness and relatively low population, Humboldt has historically overachieved with regards to the number of quality touring musical acts we’ve been able to seduce behind the Redwood Curtain. Maybe it’s due to our being a halfway point between Portland and the Bay Area. Maybe it’s our reputation as a whimsical artist’s escape. Maybe it’s our famous music-enhancing products. Either way, over the years we’ve been spoiled by a high-caliber soundtrack.

Of course, our ample concert supplies were wiped out in March when COVID-19 silenced sound systems countywide. And few people have had to wrestle with that reality as much as Laurel Weston. For over a decade, Weston booked shows for Humboldt Brews in Arcata, inarguably one of the county’s most coveted stages. On this week’s episode of Humboldt Holding Up, LoCO speaks with Weston about losing the community role she’d built for herself to a global pandemic and also asks her what the odds are of rekindling our musical mojo. (Spoiler: It’s complicated.)