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Dear Loyal Cookie Followers,

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Sleeping in the Chocolate Chips

In August of 1980 I was freshly 3 years old and totally into Care Bears, my sparkly jelly shoes, fascinated by my sister’s obsession with My Little Ponies and all I really wanted to do was roller skate and lip sync to Michael Jackson. But what was most profound that year was the opening of the Pacific Cookie Company on the Pacific Garden Mall in Downtown Santa Cruz. My parents had just moved us from Carmel with the idea to open a cookie store and nothing but our college funds in their pockets. With their promise that they would repay us at some point, my sister Stacy (5 ½ years old at the time) and I thought it was pretty cool. I mean come on, is there a better way to make friends at a new school then letting kids know that your mom and dad make cookies?

Our family lived and breathed cookies. What I remember about the cookie store that year were the stacks of bags of chocolate chips. I was so enamored by them that I used to nap on the sacks while my parents were working. The employees were mostly young and having a good time chatting while scooping cookies. Then there was the bubble gum ice cream, yum, and watching my dad while he made what seemed to be HUGE batches of cookie dough in the electric mixer. Sometimes I would just sit at one of the tables in the front and watch the customers walking away with a cookie in hand and a smile on their face.

Thirty years later that is what I love the most, smiles. A good cookie can always make a person smile and that is why Pacific Cookie Company still exists. We just make some damn good cookies. Always have, always will.

Happy Birthday Pacific Cookie, Thank you for the memories.

Love, Cara

It's a cookie explosion!

Just in time for the 4th of July weekend, we’re rolling out a brand new cookie: Cherry Bomb! Our Cherry Bomb is a buttery sugar cookie punctuated with bursts of dried Montmorency cherries. The retail store is lighting, oops, I mean baking the first Cherry Bombs right now and will keeping the cookie explosion going all summer long.

To add to the excitement, we are happy to announce that starting this Friday, July 2nd, Cahootz (white chocolate & macadamia nuts) and MacChunk (semi-sweet chocolate & macadamia nut) will be rejoining our cookie family. Earlier this year the price of macadamia nuts rose from $2.99/lb to $6.82/lb (a 128% price increase!). Try as we might, we were unable to source any high quality macadamia nuts at a sustainable price and were forced to temporarily discontinue these two cookies from our line. Now, a new crop of macadamia nuts has become available and we’ve finally sourced some quality nuts at a reasonable price. We’re all excited to see these yummy cookies back in our store where they belong and we want to thank our loyal Cahootz and MacChunk fans for their patience and understanding.

Cahootz, MacChunk, and Cherry Bomb? Now that’s an explosion of deliciousness if I ever saw one.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day is THIS Sunday... what are you going to do for Dad?

My dad is pretty easy... something sweet, some time to play or watch golf, and maybe a barbecue and he's one happy camper. One of the perks of working for the Pacific Cookie Company is that I've always got the "something sweet" covered.

What about your dad? What's his favorite Father's Day treat? Has he amassed one awesome tie collection? Does he always appreciate a new tool for his arsenal? If you're stumped as to what to do this year (or maybe just want to make this Father's Day a little sweeter) take a peek at our cookie gifts. From the dad with a serious sweet tooth to the father-in-law who has everything, one of our cookie gifts is sure to please.

BONUS: Save 15% when you order online at www.pacificcookie.com now through 6/22/10 and use the coupon code DADSAVES. Yum yum!

Emily

Local favorites

Shelly’s perfect day in Santa Cruz is the fifth in our series When We Think Santa Cruz, We Think Local.

Local Favorites.
By Shelly

I wake-up to a steaming cup of Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Company’s Steve’s Smooth French coffee, lovingly prepared by my husband, Larry (Mr. Cookie). He’s just returned from his daily elliptical work out at 24 hour Fitness with his gym-rat buddies, Cliff, Greg, Ceil & Virginia. This morning I dip our newest iteration of our Ginger Spice cookie in my coffee. I think we are very close to perfecting this recipe. We’re looking forward to the customer response from the downtown store.

After breakfast, I wander down to my raised-bed veggie garden. Thank goodness the sun is finally shining! Larry and I had fun choosing our tomato plants this year from Cynthia Sandberg’s famous Love Apple Farm in Ben Lomond. My family really enjoyed the “Black Cherry” tomatoes last year. We also selected a golden beefsteak, “Chuck’s Yellow”, an “Early Girl” variety and “Casey’s Pure Yellow,” a new variety that is a large yellow with a pink blush. My three fabulous grandchildren love to spend time in our garden. Lily (4), Ivan (2 ¾ ) and our newbee, Mila (1), will love eating sweet snap peas off the vines and helping to water the beets, 3 types of squash, cucumbers, green beans, swiss chard and herbs.

As midday approaches, it’s time to meet my friends for lunch at The Walnut Avenue Café. The servers are so nice and efficient. My favorite is the Ahi Tuna Salad with balsamic dressing. The owner, John Climber does such a great job with the menu and the consistency of the food. After lunch, I stroll through Pacific Garden Mall and check out Stripe, such a fun store with a vintage flare. I also stop in The Sock Shop, Old School Shoes, Shoe Fetish (I think you can see that I like shoes!). There are also so many places that carry great things for kids. The Baby Shoppe on Pacific Avenue is great and Lolly Tree Toys on Cathcart Street is full of well made toys for children and the owner is so helpful picking out age appropriate gifts for birthdays.

After a lovely afternoon downtown, I pick up Ivan at pre-school and drive to the Santa Cruz Wharf to see and listen to the sea lions. He likes to go into Stagnaro’s Restaurant and look at the fish tank and then to Made in Santa Cruz to play with the wheels on the skateboards. I guess I have to wait until he’s 3 to buy him his first board. Ivan loves the Santa Cruz Natural History Museum so we head over to the Seabright neighborhood. The tide pool exhibit is especially fun. We take a walk to Seabright Beach and sit on the bench overlooking the cove. It is a memorial to my late father, Charlie Miller who was the unofficial mayor of Seabright. We then wander up Cypress Avenue to see if my granddaughters, Lily and Mila are home.

The end of my day is usually spent strolling the polished wood floors at Shopper’s Corner grocery store. The original owners, Bud Beauregard and Vinny Williams helped to start us into the wholesale cookie business and Jim Beauregard (Bud's son) has continued to be super supportive. The store is always spotless and amazingly well stocked with every epicurean necessity and a cookie available at the butcher counter for the kids.

I’m so fortunate to live in this special community and share it with my close family and friends. So here’s to Santa Cruz and 30 wonderful years spent enjoying some of my favorite local spots.

Music in the air

Sharon’s perfect day in Santa Cruz is the fourth in our series When We Think Santa Cruz, We Think Local.

Music in the Air.
By Sharon

My perfect day begins with sleeping in very late... I've always been a night owl and have no need to greet the day with the sun coming up. After I finally get up in the morning, I take my time leisurely reading the Sunday paper. Yes, I know, so "old school"! I linger a bit with a heavenly cup of Good Earth tea, and then I eventually head out on a walk. Living on the Westside means I don't have to go far for the most fabulous walking path with a view of the ocean, West Cliff drive. The sea salt spray that breaks over the cliffs and the reflection of the sun on shimmering water makes this the ultimate place to go to unwind. When I get almost to the end of the path, I take a detour inland to the Swift Street Courtyard, home to Kelly's French Bakery for some freshly baked sourdough bread to go with the cheese and fresh fruit I have in my insulated backpack. These are for an early afternoon picnic with a friend in her beautiful backyard garden a few blocks away.

After my picnic, well fed and rested, I head back down to the water ending up at breezy Natural Bridges beach. There are lots of young families playing on the beach, building sand castles, boogie boarding in the surf, flying kites, and just having a ball. It's getting late and the sun is starting to go down, and there is no better place to watch a sunset in all of Santa Cruz. You feel like you're at the edge of the world with nothing else to see except the deep azure blue of endless water. Sitting serenely on a bluff, I look out to sea with the horizon turning "sky-blue-pink", watching as the fireball sun eventually disappears into the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

I briskly walk home, to change and meet my husband. A self confessed early bird, he was up and out of the house hours before me. We head downtown to Hula's Island Grill and Tiki Bar, for dinner and drinks. Once inside the dark, candlelit, back room filled with bamboo tiki torches and Polynesian masks, you feel like you've been transported to a tropical island. This place has a fun vibe, killer drinks and the best sweet potato fries in town.

After dinner, we have some time before the Cabrillo Music Festival starts at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, so we take a short stroll to my all time favorite business, Bookshop Santa Cruz. I love to meander among their amazing array of stacks and stacks of books, but I spend even more time in their unique card department. They have some of the most eclectic and creative cards I've ever found, and everyone who knows me will tell you I am the "Queen" of finding "just the right card" for someone. And to top it off, they are next door to Chocolate, home of the 'Frida', a rich, Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon, and spices. This divine, decadent, drink has just enough heat to raise some eyebrows! Oh my God, Books and Chocolate together... food for thought, for body and soul!

As concert time nears, we make our way to the Civic. Kronos Quartet is playing tonight. This original, contemporary, quartet has been at the forefront of the kind of music that the festival puts on every year. People come from all over the country for this outstanding event, and I don't even have to leave Santa Cruz to experience performances by some of the best musicians in the world!

After the concert and with the end of the perfect day approaching, we step into Red Restaurant and Bar for a nightcap. Settling into one of their comfy couches in front of the fireplace, I'm having the 'Marilyn Monroe' cocktail, a delicious drink with champagne, pomegranate liqueur, citronage and a sweet cherry that sinks to the bottom of the glass, waiting patiently for you to finish it off. After one of these, I'm feeling as close to tall, blonde and voluptuous as I'll ever be at the end of one incredible day in Santa Cruz. We wind our way towards home with the strains of violins and cellos still playing in the air...

Going on a treasure hunt, X marks the spot...

Ashley’s perfect day in Santa Cruz is the third in our series When We Think Santa Cruz, We Think Local.

Going on a Treasure Hunt, X Marks the Spot...
By Ashley

My perfect day in Santa Cruz starts with me waking up without the sound of an alarm clock. Now, if it is truly my perfect day, then that means my fiancé is already up and the Surf City or Java Junction coffee is freshly brewed and ready to pour. I can’t dilly dally for too long though. I’ve got my coffee in a to-go cup, dollar bills in my pocket, and I’m off to the Santa Cruz Flea Market. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure I say. I meet up with my friend Jennifer and we are on a serious mission to find the deals. This is what we do best and, on really good days, we have to make multiple trips to the car. Used bowling balls as garden art, frames and mirrors to redecorate, and fresh fruits and vegetables are just a few of the goodies you can find at the swap meet.

After the flea market we must fuel up for more shopping and walking. We head to The Crepe Place and sit outside in their quaint garden patio. I love the luscious feel of all the plants and flowers outside but inside it is funky and fun if it happens to be raining. I think The Crepe Place has the best Bloody Marys in town and so far I haven’t been proven wrong!

With our bellies full, we are off to our next destination, The Goodwill Thrift Store. We are still in the treasure finding mood and why buy full price when you don’t have too?! [For all the book worms out there, the Goodwill has a location that only sells used books located on Soquel Ave next to Tony’s & Alba’s.] We also make a trip to The Daisy; another one of our favorite places to bargain hunt. Added bonus: both The Goodwill and The Daisy raise money for wonderful causes within our community.

Okay, so there are some things I am willing to buy new. Like a new pair of Bunny’s Shoes. The draw of the cutest and hottest shoes around brings us to Bunny’s in Downtown Santa Cruz. But we can’t go there without heading across Pacific Ave to their sister store Bunny’s Too. There we find everything from yummy smelling soaps, colorful and sassy dish towels, sparkling candle chandeliers, etc… If you are ever in need of a gift for your best girlfriend, sisters, or mom this is surely a one stop shop.

With the car full of my goodies and the dollars gone from my pocket, it’s time to go home and justify all the bags coming into the house. [Tip: put bags inside of others so it looks like you have less bags and therefore didn’t spend as much.] After a short rest at home, the man and I are off on a walk through the Santa Cruz Harbor. If our timing is right, we can catch the sun setting over the ocean. We are so fortunate to live in this wonderful place. I love the sounds of the harbor; the mast on a sail boat clinking in the wind, the birds circling for fish, and of course the waves crashing louder and louder as we get closer to the beach.

We stop by Bayside Marine to say hi to friends and then continue our stroll to the Crow’s Nest. We head upstairs to the Breakwater Grill and from any table we have a great view. After our spirits and pupu pupus we walk along the beach and then head home. Once home, the man builds a fire in our outside fire pit and my perfect day in Santa Cruz comes to an end. Good night!