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Holiday countdown: Santa Cruz County foodie shopping guide part 3 – Companion Bakeshop

Today I am providing details on a few holiday shopping possibilities at Companion Bakeshop. For more foodie gift suggestions, see Part 1 and Part 2.  A few weeks ago, beloved bakery Companion Bakeshop opened an expanded retail shop—Companion Market—which is … Continue reading

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Holiday countdown: Santa Cruz County foodie shopping guide part 2 – gift card discounts

Hope you enjoyed Part 1 of the guide a couple days ago. Here is the next installment with more last-minute gift ideas; these are restaurant gift cards currently discounted for holiday shopping.   Downtown Santa Cruz’s Kianti’s Pizza & Pasta … Continue reading

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Holiday countdown: Santa Cruz County foodie shopping guide

It’s the official week-until-Christmas warning; if you’re like me, you are behind in shopping! Here is my first of a few “last-minute gift suggestion” posts. Pastry and confections business Spontaneous Confections has gift certificates available in $20 increments. Contact them … Continue reading

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Spotlight on a great Santa Cruz County dish: Eggplant Basil at Avanti

I recently had the opportunity to taste a wonderful vegetarian appetizer, Eggplant Basil, prepared by Avanti. I wasn’t at the actual Westside Santa Cruz restaurant, but the version I enjoyed—at a Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County benefit—is the … Continue reading

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Spotlight on a great Santa Cruz County dish: Fried chicken at Bantam

Photo credit: Tara Fatemi Walker How could I forget about this restaurant? Shame on me: I hadn’t been to Westside Santa Cruz’s Bantam in a long time, and I went last weekend. Wow, what I’ve been missing! The fried chicken … Continue reading

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A Santa Cruz foodie’s journey to Philadelphia: Don’t miss Laser Wolf

My friend Amy, who lives in Philadelphia, has been telling me for years that as a fellow foodie I need to come visit her and partake in the city’s many amazing restaurants. In late February, I finally took that trip, … Continue reading

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New Santa Cruz foodie holiday discounts: Barceloneta (ends soon) & Pizza My Heart

Attention all Santa Cruz foodies: There are a couple promotions going on, and they are both time-sensitive. Barceloneta: The popular tapas and paella restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz is currently offering a deal on E-gift cards. Shoppers receive a 15% … Continue reading

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A couple of seasonal Santa Cruz discounts & promotions

This Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, it’s Small Business Saturday. At Kianti’s Pizza & Pasta Bar, customers can pay $20 and receive $25 worth of gift cards. You can call 831-469-4400 or stop in to purchase these cards. Starting this Saturday, … Continue reading

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Giving Thanks for the Live Oak Farmers Market

As I mentioned last month, I truly appreciate living in a place that has several farmers’ markets to choose from. With rare exceptions, I shop at the Live Oak farmers’ market—only a mile away from my home—every week. It’s open … Continue reading

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Praise for the Aptos Farmers Market

Author: Tara Fatemi Walker Lovers of delicious food—especially fresh produce—are so lucky to live in Santa Cruz County. We have a plethora of farmers’ markets; it would be impossible to go to all of them each week. Lately, I have … Continue reading

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