Capitola Village Articles

Romance Ramble

I used to ridicule couples who had to get away from home for romance ... and then I became a mother! Now we've discovered the perfect investment in our marriage: an overnight stay in Capitola Village, a short thirty miles from our home where the kids and chaos reign. Here's the tale of our last Romantic Ramble in the Village.

First stop on Saturday morning was hand-holding over an individually dripped cup of coffee at Grinds Coffee and Tea House, a charming little green cottage whose owner is dedicated to “green” business practices. No rain forests were destroyed to grow this coffee! Even the plastic water bottles Grinds sells are biodegradable.

Next, we rambled through the shops in search of the perfect memento: The Village Mouse, Vanessa, Three Little Birds, Red Poppy, Polka Dot. Some of the shops, like Phoebe's, feature one-of-a-kind items made by local artists. We finally settled on a darling clock for the kids' room at Hour Place. My husband actually enjoyed an hour of what he called “zen browsing” because it's so unlike the hurried grab-some-milk shopping we do everyday as parents.

A short walk on the beach landed us on Capitola's historic wharf and lunch overlooking the Monterey Bay Sanctuary at the Wharf House restaurant. What is it about fish-and-chips that tastes so much better when you eat it in full view of the sea?

My husband vowed to bring our kids sometime for a fishing trip, but a short kayak rental from Capitola Boat & Bait was just the ticket for the two of us after lunch. We had already met the resident Great Blue Heron that hangs out on the wharf hoping for scraps from the fish-cleaning sink. From our kayak, we spied a sea otter with her pup in tow.

Feeling righteous after getting a little exercise and with no need to drive anywhere, we surrendered our afternoon to sampling wine at the many wine bars and tasting rooms in the Village including Armida Winery, Cava, and White Crane Winery.

We fell into our gorgeous suite at the Inn at Depot Hill where Martha Stewart is said to have stayed. The hot tub was designed to make us forget we ever had children.

Dinner was the big decision of the day – just my speed for an off-duty parent's brain after a few glasses of wine and a hot tub. In past trips, we had enjoyed the tram ride down the hillside to famous creekside dining at Shadowbrook restaurant, but we wanted to try something new this trip. “Italian,” my husband ordered decisively. We checked out the extensive menus and luscious smells at Ristorante Il Pirata and Caruso's Tuscan Cuisine, but we settled on Bella Roma Cafe because of the quiet, cloth-covered corner table made for smooching over the spaghetti. We were not disappointed! Lingering over five courses, starting with a classic antipasti platter and ending with tiramisu, my husband satisfied his meat craving with lamb shank slow-cooked in fresh tomatoes with vegetables while I indulged in house-made ravioli in sage-butter sauce.

Another stroll on the beach ended with some live jazz tunes and decaf expresso at Mr. Toots Coffeehouse, where we could sit out on a small deck overlooking moonlight reflected in Soquel Lagoon and the wharf lights sparkling in the distance.

We had to leave the next morning after our sumptuous breakfast at our B&B to make it home for the kids' big soccer game, but 24 hours in Capitola Village had been better for our marriage than six months of therapy – and cheaper, too!

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