Capitola Village Articles

Something Old, Something New...

The “Fearsome Fivesome” (a high school nickname for my best friends) headed for Capitola for a girls' day out before Eva's wedding. Our mission: Fun and shopping, of course, with instructions from Eva that we were to prevent her from buying or doing anything that looked even remotely old. “I'm going to be one old married lady who never looks it,” she determined.

We started in the Mercantile center with the gift certificate we'd bought Eva for a manicure at Nails On the Beach while the rest of us tried on bathing suits at nearby Manx or relaxed at Sea Side Coffee. We thought Eva picked a pretty tame shade of green for her nails for a gal fighting a certain image, but hey, it was her day.

Giving advice is totally the name of our group game. It's one of our little things to vote on Best Whatever, like “Best Home for Rubber Duckies” (previously awarded to Panache) or “Best Matching Surfer Dude/Dudette” (at Capitola Beach Company) or “Best Slug Wear” (a high honor split between Turtle Shells and Sea Level T's).

I'd better translate “Slug Wear” for you foreigners out there: The official mascot of the local university, UCSC, is the native Banana Slug (I am not making this up). We all have t-shirts and sweat shirts bearing the slimy guy wearing glasses and toting a book. Quite the status symbol!

Although the Fearsome Fivesome has matching Capitola t-shirts as well, the Best Whatever game doesn't require us to agree. On this trip, we wanted Eva to buy an outfit that screamed “NOT an old married lady,” so each of her friends picked a “Best Teenager Heaven” store for her: Chienne, Dahlia, Euphoria Rio Mix,and In the Raw. Avije was voted “best sale rack” but we split “Best Touch of the Exotic” between Nazar (unusual Turkish imports) and Om Gallery (Asian inspirations for home and wardrobe). “Best Kites and Beach Toys” went to Rainbow City Lights where we bought a kite for the groom, who doesn't want to feel like an old guy either.

We chipped-in for a sweet butterfly necklace for Eva at Bella Donna, which has antique-inspired jewelry, freshwater pearls, hand bags and accent pieces, but I bought a Bad Hair Day pin at The Craft Gallery for myself.

Then we tried something new: A game of pool at Bay Bar & Grill... definitely not old married lady stuff.

As we walked out on the Capitola Wharf, we saw the most amazing wedding taking place out in the water (and I am NOT making this up, either): The whole wedding party on surfboards, bride and groom in wet suits sporting her white veil and his top hat, minister in front. We laughed for ten minutes and then rushed back to Panache to buy the bride/groom rubber duckies we'd seen for Eva's wedding cake. Some days give you the courage to be wacky! Thanks, Capitola.

Back to Capitola Articles >