Shopping in Santa Cruz

Californian abodes can emulate the relaxing, laid-back atmosphere of the tropics with the island-inspired, eco-friendly home accoutrements found at Element Home Furnishings. Many of the items in the shop's unique collection were imported from exotic locales or supplied by local businesses. Multicolored flip-flops, banana-leaf journals, and scented candles immediately evoke vacations on the beach, and a selection of artwork invites a second look with signs made of surfboards and vibrant paintings of Hawaiian landscapes. The shop's furniture show room unveils beds and tables constructed out of sustainable materials, such as plantation-grown mahogany and teak, and towering divider screens made of bamboo wrestled from the jowls of a panda.

Trudie Ransom knows just how addictive the sensation of standing above the waves can be. After just a few trips out on her board, she not only began training with the standup-paddleboarding master Andy Whitman from Angulo boards, but also opened up SUP Shack. From her experience shadowing Whitman, she decided the best way to introduce people to the sport was with Angulo's soft, 10-foot boards, which serve as an easy surface to learn on while spending a day on the waves or taking one of the shop's classes or tours. Classes never contain more than six students, allowing each student to have the one-on-one attention needed to master the art of balancing and maneuvering the board. Once pupils are sure of their strokes, the shop's instructors lead guided tours that slip out across the rippling blue mirror and past the sights of the harbor or tackle the more advanced paths past sea-lion habitats. Late-evening tours pause as the sun sets over the ocean, filling the sky with color like somebody inciting peacocks to riot.

Sessions founder Joel Gomez embraced snowboarding back in the 1980s, when ski resorts were still turning boarders away from their slopes. Joel, already an avid skateboarder and surfer, wanted to throw himself into this new sport, and in 1983 he opened up one of the first shops dedicated to snowboarding in the United States. Like snowboarding itself, Sessions grew into an international venture, providing warm outerwear from brands such as d3o and Recco for snowboarders to wear as they carve up slopes or relax in a freezing-cold tub of water. Their collection of apparel, which includes insulated pants, softshell jackets, and boarding accessories, features both muted and vibrant colors inspired by skating culture and punk rock music.

Since 1962, locals have stopped by Citti's Florist to procure fresh bundles of vibrant blooms for special events and everyday serotonin infusions. Crowned with the title of Best Florist in 2007 by the San Jose Mercury News, the flower shop continues its decades-long tradition of friendly service in three fragrant shops. At each location, staffers transform seasonal stems into vivid bouquets, centerpieces, and wreaths. Both in-store shopping and delivery are available, including same-day delivery services.

Bliss Leaf's design consultants work with furniture manufacturers to recreate pieces from the drawing boards of the best contemporary designers. They've pulled together an ultra-modern collection of furniture inspired by the pragmatism of Zen Buddhism and the clean lines of contemporary architecture.

During complimentary consultations, the design consultants share their savvy to revamp homes and reimagine blanket forts to express each homeowner's style. They draw from an assortment of furnishings, artwork, and accessories in design traditions such as Swedish style, Italian contemporary, and loft.

A steaming, froth-capped cup of cappuccino—it’s not the first thing you’d expect to be handed at a clothier. Consider it a gesture of Peter Cassara’s hospitality and a hallmark of the Italian heritage that defines his shop.

The inveterate tailor learned to make suits in Sicily in the ‘60s before packing up his skills and sewing kit to move to San Jose in 1971. Every two years, he travels back to Italy to hunt down the latest styles by Baroni, Enzo, and Petrocelli. He favors lightweight fabrics such as cashmere, silk, pima cotton, and the emperor’s new polyester, always with an eye out for upcoming trends such as slim-fitting suits.

When customers come into his shop, he sometimes guides them through the collection himself. “I do everything myself because when a person comes in, I look at how they’re built. I know exactly what they need. If there are too many employees, they don’t get it right,” he said. In his spare time, Mr. Cassara serves as a fashion consultant and prides himself on the ability to summarize in less than a minute the proper way to curate a wardrobe. It keeps him pin-sharp as he performs all the alterations, from simple hems to leatherwork. He sweeps floors, he dresses window, and sometime he even froths the cappuccino.