Cafe Delmarette...

On the mornings I'm not even pretending to do homework, Cafe Delmarette is my go to spot.  (My excuse for skipping school work: they don't have wifi.)

What they do have, however, is the most addictive scone in the whole wide world.  Spicy sausage and cheese is my daily order. I do find it funny, that even after two and a half months of eating this scone every morning, the person behind the counter still asks me what I would like.  As though I would order something different!  I'm sure they have other good things on the menu, but I have never waivered in my loyalty.

Besides their killer scones, Delmarette also has really nice monthly art shows.  During May, my friend Louise had her work hanging on the walls.  Inspired by amusement parks and boxing rings of the past, I love Louise's characters like "Pesaro" and "Gravino" that make appearances across her work and compete to be THE GREATEST.

Westside Market...

The Santa Cruz farmers markets are the social event of the week.  Everyone is there- friends, neighbors, butchers, bakers and I'm sure some one there must moonlight as a candlestick maker.  

Each market has its own vibe.  Wednesday downtown is packed to the gills with produce tents, drum beating bohemians, and a bike valet.  Saturday morning on the West side is a bit more low key. People stroll by for breakfast, to watch a fiddling band of print makers, and to buy flowers.

This spring, the Ranunculus have been going crazy!

 

Monterey...

Clam chowder detour.

Big Sur...

Sometimes Ryan and I will take miniature trips along the coast.  Anything to make it feel like we're traveling again. 

The Golden Gate...

Today marked the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge and the whole city was decked out for the party.

Despite its touristic appeal, this iconic beauty never fails to make me proud.  

I love San Francisco.

Verve...

I don't even like coffee, and I'm still smitten by Verve Roasting Company.  During the times I concede to study (erm, read Murakami novels), I camp out at the downtown Verve.  Sometimes I feel like places are designed specifically for me.  At Verve, where Edison bulbs hang like raindrops from the ceiling and air ferns are tucked in every nook and cranny,  I fit right in.

Bigger And Better Things...

For the past two months since we've been home from Europe, both Ryan and I have been itching to move to The City.  With no attachments to school (ew) and encouragement from the chefs at work, Ryan set out for San Francisco, while I twiddled my thumbs away taking my last undergraduate classes in Santa Cruz.  Together, he and his friends have found a place on Alamo Square which, we quickly decided, was the nicest neighborhood in town.  Hardwood floors, latticed windows and a real kitchen!, around the corner from the Independent, fancy restaurants like Nopa, and walking distance to everything.  I spent the weekend helping him move in and walking around Alamo Square park, writing down addresses of houses I'd like to live in...I have all sorts of strange criteria planned out.  I want to live alone, I want southeast facing windows, I want to decorate with Pendleton blankets and Mexican embroidered tapestries...

Twenty-seven more days left in Santa Cruz for me.  And before I'm moving anywhere, I've got to find a job....

River Street Cafe...

Santa Cruz is too often referred to as a "weird" place, full of hippies, homeless optionals, and trust-ifarians.  And, while some of these subcultures do permeate the downtown, what really sets Santa Cruz apart, I think, is its food culture.  

I remember when I first moved to France, the shock of the single bio organic isle in the super market.  Here, organic is the standard.  People expect fresh and local.  And if they don't expect quality, they at the very least expect rustic or artisan.

This is a small town, remember, so our offerings of restaurants and diners is slim compared to a real city.  But just a little bit of hunting can yield a very, very good lunch.

The River Street Cafe is one of my favorite place to sit when it's raining.  Their tiny restaurant is also a sun room, so you're dry and warm when it's wet outside.  

It is also one of my favorite places to sit when it's sunny.  An outdoor patio, strings of lights and festive garlands make already good meals taste even better.

The Picnic Basket...

The Picnic Basket opened its doors in June of 2011, not even a full year after it's sister shop, The Penny Ice Creamery, made its mark on the California culinary scene.  Chef Kendra Baker and Co-owner Zach Davis had already created a small community of local farmers and food producers who would come by The Penny with seasonal offerings of Dirty Girl strawberries, Glaum Ranch fresh eggs, or Meyer lemons from a neighbor's backyard.  The Picnic Basket has extended that network now to include lettuces from Happy Boy Farm, bread from Companion Bakery, beer from the local brewery, and more.  With a seasonally evolving menu, the farms and the menu offerings change daily.  At The Picnic Basket, the only thing that stays the same is the commitment to quality ingredients and community.  Despite its location, it has seen more and more business over the last year and is now a permanent fixture on Beach Street, a lunch spot for tourists and local Santa Cruz-ians alike.

 

Did I mention how good it is?

It is REALLY good.  As proof, since I don't have a kitchen, I eat here every single day.  And I'm not even exaggerating.

Down By The Boardwalk...

I think that the very first destination for misguided people headed to Santa Cruz, is the Beach Boardwalk.  

As the calendar pages are pulled back, beach goers descend upon Cowell's Beach like migratory gulls, laying out beach towels and popping up neon bright umbrellas.  In the background, rickety wooden roller coasters roar along their tracks, and riders' screams are all a part of the sunny ambiance.  

In the years that I've lived here, on and off, I had never been to the Boardwalk or to Cowell's Beach.

In fact, I tried to avoid the beach altogether, wary of the crowds and summer hooligans who came to play.  Last summer, however, Beach Street received a new tenant:  The Picnic Basket.

Now the traffic jams and parking mazes are worth braving.  (Even if the Boardwalk itself is not.)

(And yes, I'm on Instagram: chloe_kiser )