Squid takes a cold plunge into cryotherapy—and dips into the world of SVMH politics.

HOSPITAL HICCUPS… To recover from the shocking reality of the Nov. 4 election, Squid is watching romcoms, counting flanneled hipsters at coffee shops and looking for pro-peace protestors at Leon Panetta’s book signing. Squid sighs a sigh of relief at that which is predictable.

One upset in local elections Squid is enthusiastic about: Carmen Gil, program manager for Building Healthy Communities in East Salinas, beat retired doctor Norm Nelson for a seat on Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital board. Nelson’s plenty qualified, but it’s nice to see a grassroots dynamo like Gil stand up to the PAC-backed candidate and win. She’ll join Margaret D’Arrigo and Chris Orman on the new board after Harry Wardell, Debbie Nelson and Jim Gattis retire. The trio has seen the hospital through some dark times, like former CEO Sam Downing’s notoriously well-padded retirement package; a failed bid to become the county trauma center; and investigations by the district attorney and state auditor.

But after weathering all those storms, they still can’t leave peacefully. On Nov. 20, the California Fair Political Practices Commission is set to slap Gattis with a $2,500 fine for voting on a real estate transaction in which he had a financial stake. The SVMH board terminated a lease with Central Coast Audiology, a group that then ended up later moving into a building Gattis owns. “A close look at the chronology shows it was at most a very technical and inadvertent error,” says Gattis’ attorney, Andrew Liu.

Squid doesn’t disagree, but considering how turbulent a tenure Gattis has had, it seems like a minor price to pay.

SQUID CHILLS… Squid can be schizo, psycho, klepto, piro and cryptic.

Squid is also cryo – as into cryotherapy, or advanced ice therapy, often deployed with a cryosauna. The idea is to expose a hot bod like Squid’s to cold, dry air to trigger anti-inflammatory-healing and purported benefits like pain relief and a buoyed mood.

Squid needs some serious cold to cool off Squid’s inflammatory anger, inflamed ink sac and aggravated mood just about every time the tide comes in – and all the self-healing Squid can get after so many city council meetings. Cryotheraphy also helps keep Squid’s beak looking supple and kissable.

Which is why Squid is so giddy Glacé Cryotheraphy spa just opened behind Allegro’s Pizza (which, by the way, serves another one of Squid’s weaknesses, the Del Mare pizza pie with rock shrimp and bay scallops). Intro sessions ($25) are way cheaper than Squid’s sharky shrink.

Carmel Valley natives and siblings Brittney Scarlett-Torres (an administrator/marketer) and Skyler Scarlett (a personal trainer) started it. “As the blood rushes to the body’s core region, it becomes nutrient dense,” Skyler says. And warms Squid’s bitter cold three-chambered heart.